July 2021 Minutes

July 8, 2021

Erie Township Regular Meeting Minutes

Supervisor Chuck Chadbourne called the meeting to order at 6:30 pm. All board members were present. List of additional attendees is attached to this report.

The agenda was reviewed by the board, additions were added. A motion was made by Supervisor Joann Splonskowski and second by Supervisor Gerry Schram to approve the agenda with additions as noted on final agenda. Motion carried.

Pledge of Allegiance was recited.

Being the minutes had been emailed to each member to read on their own time Supervisor Chuck Chadbourne asked if there were any additions or corrections to last months minutes. A motion was made by Supervisor Joann Splonskowski to approve the June 1st meeting minutes. It was seconded by Supervisor Gerry Schram.

Attorney Carl Malmstrom representing Mark and Mary Wichmann was present with a petition to have the platted road in Wiese’s Cotton Lake Estates vacated. Carl showed town board members a map of the area that is being requested to vacate. He alsopresented the board with a petition with signatures of all neighbors that this vacate would affect. Supervisor Joann Splonskowski asked Carl, “if there were someone to build in that area how would they get to their property, by boat? He stated, “there has already been a variant written and signed by the Webers and Whitmans (only property owners)in which an easement was granted.” Supervisor Joann Splonskowski also asked, “if more houses were built would they want the township to take the vacated area back?” Carl said, “no, it would be all private property.” Supervisor Gerry Schram, stated “Erie Township has to many dead-end roads.” Supervisor Joann Splonskowski asked, “are we required to have a public hearing if all neighbors agree?” Carl stated, “yes you are, it has to be an open meeting for all the public to attend not just the neighbor’s agreement.” The hearing date has been set for August 3rd at 6:30 and will be incorporated in the regular August township meeting business. Carl felt that would be enough time to post and publish the date. Supervisor Joann Splonskowski stated, “we have to be sure to open the hearing and close it separately from our regular meeting.” Carl stated, “he does several of these meetings and he will see to it that it is done.” We are to make a copy and post and send Carl the bill for publishing. An order of notice was signed by Supervisor Chuck Chadbourne and Deputy Clerk Deb Zachariason July 8th at 6:30 pm.

Treasurer Becky Renner gave the treasurers report with the checking account having a balance of $82,060.45. Money market account balance $168,837.73, CD balance of $129,089.64. Total funds as of June 30, 2021 is $379,987.82. Treasurer Becky Rennerstated that a check that had been cancelled last month, she now must figure out how to get it out of our CTAS system. Supervisor Joann Splonskowski asked, “if we earned anyinterest on the CD?” Treasurer Becky Renner stated, “it is an 18-month CD and interestis calculated at the end.”

Treasurer Becky Renner checked on the interest rate to place $50,000 into a CD, it was .05%. It was decided to leave as is and when our current CD comes due Treasurer Becky Renner is to let supervisors know when we are approaching the maturity date.

Meeting re-imbursement was discussed. Some questioned if we should get paid for the seven-minute Planning Commission Meeting prior to our regular meeting June 1st. It was decided that we will follow the guidelines that were set at the March 18, planning meeting.Supervisor Chuck Chadbourne passed out a copy of the minutes from the March 18thplanning meeting. In which it states members are paid for one extra meeting each year as a bonus to cover all short meetings throughout the year. Supervisor Joann Splonskowski asked if she could be written a check this evening for the June 1st Planning Commission meeting, which was prior to our June 1st regular monthly meeting, she had not posted it on her timecard. Treasurer Becky Renner stated, “I cannot write a check now because it is computer generated and I do not have access to that tonight.” Treasurer Becky Renner also stated, “Clerk Karen Eifealt is not present to sign the check.”Supervisor Joann Splonskowski stated, “the deputy clerk can sign the check.” Treasurer Becky Renner stated, “she is not authorized by the bank to do so.” Supervisor Joann Splonskowski requested Treasurer Becky Renner to call the bank in the morning to see if they will accept a check with two signatures.

Supervisor Gerry Schram made a motion to accept the treasurers report as presented. Supervisor Joann Splonskowski seconded it.

Payment of bills. Supervisor Chuck Chadbourne made note, there are two checks that are missing because Clerk Karen Eifealdt requested her checks prior to leaving on vacation and it was granted. A motion was made by Supervisor Gerry Schram to pay the bills. Supervisor Joann Splonskowski seconded the motion.

Road report was given by Tom Graham. It was brought to the boards attentions that there are a couple of rocks surfacing and should be removed. Supervisor Chuck Chadbournestated, “it is better to place gravel over the rocks on 170th Street than remove, because when the road was built there were many big rocks that were covered up rather than removed.” Tom stated, he thinks that it will cause problems with the snowplow this winter.Supervisor Gerry Schram asked, “is there any way to split those rocks and remove them?”Tom stated, “not unless you use dynamite.” Deputy Clerk Deb Zachariason asked if Tom could give the board an idea of what the cost would be to remove the rocks? Supervisor Joann Splonskowski stated, “we are not at that point yet”. Supervisor Joann Splonskowskimade a motion to build up 170th Street by graveling over the rock and to remove the rocks on 330th Ave. It was seconded by Supervisor Gerry Schram.

Supervisor Gerry Schram received a call regarding placing a sign by Russ Davis’s, Sandy Beach Road, to stop the public from parking on private property. Supervisor Chuck Chadbourne stated that he had checked on that three years ago with the DNR and highway department, they would not do anything about it. Supervisor Joann Splonskowskisuggested we write a letter to those entities to see if they would address it now. Supervisor Gerry Schram stated he will talk to the county regarding this issue.

Supervisor Gerry Schram received a call asking when the township is going to cut weeds along the roads. Supervisor Joann Splonskowski said, “the person has been spoken to.”

American Recovery Plan was discussed. Supervisor Joann Splonskowski suggested we have a special meeting with a person to speak that is for the plan and a person who isagainst. Supervisor Gerry Schram made a motion to apply for the funds and Supervisor Joann Splonskowski seconded the motion. Supervisor Joann Splonskowski made amotion that we set a special meeting to discuss the disbursement of funds once we know if and how much we are going to receive. It was agreed by all.

Supervisor Joann Splonskowski made a motion to remove the topic, Erie Town Hall property discussion from our agenda until it is known what we receive from the American Recovery Plan. Supervisor Chuck Chadbourne seconded it.

Weed report was given by Supervisor Joann Splonskowski stating Mark Palm had started spraying weeds a week ago and she called Karen telling her to contact Theo Blauert tolet him know not to start mowing until the spray has been on for a week.

Supervisor Joann Splonskowski brought it to Mark Palm’s attention that we have areas of knapweed, leafy spurge, and wild parsnip present. He sprayed those areas and did recheck to make sure it was effective, and it was. She stated Erie Township will be getting a bill from county for spray.

Supervisor Joann Splonskowski mentioned again that there is an illegal gravel pit in Height of Land Township being run without being certified.

Supervisor Chuck Chadbourne told Supervisor Joann Splonskowski that he is in charge of roads and wants to be informed of what is going on at all times, as he did not know

anything about the weed spraying and mowing delay. Supervisor Joann Splonskowskistated she called Karen and Supervisor Chuck Chadbourne said, “Karen is not the supervisor and that is that”.

Building requests were reviewed and discussed. There were four building requests this month, Christopher Holton, Jeremy Danielson, Kyle Vareberg, and Josh and KaylaSwangler.

There was no correspondence or citizen comments.

Supervisor Joann Splonskowski made a motion to adjourn the meeting and Supervisor Gerry Schram seconded it. Meeting was adjourned at 8:08 pm.

Deb Zachariason

Deputy Clerk