Kabetogama Township
Regular Meeting
August 1, 2017
Chairman Stegmeir opened the meeting at 7:00 pm. Board members present were Supervisors Tomczak and Kec, Clerk Manninen, Treasurer Callais, Deputy Clerk Stegmeir and three guests. Colin Marcusen from SEH was in attendance. Board members and guests recited the Pledge of Allegiance.
Agenda – The agenda was reviewed, Chairman Stegmeir suggested that we allow the Voyageurs National Park guests and Colling From SEH to speak directly after approving the agenda and the minutes then continue with the rest of the agenda. Motion by Supervisor Tomczak to approve the agenda changes, seconded by Supervisor Kec, all voting aye the motion carried,
Minutes – The minutes for the July regular meeting were reviewed. Motion by Supervisor Tomczak to approve the minutes, seconded by Supervisor Kec, all voting aye motion carried.
The Treasurer’s report was read by Treasurer Callais.
Financial Report
Checking –
Beg Bal July 1, 2017 – $165,850.41
Income - $84,068.55
Total Expenses - $58,840.47
End Bal July 31, 2017 – $191,079.49
Road Fund - $18,009.78
Road CD’s - $42,748.04
Road Fund Bal - $60,757.82
Checking CD - $25,619.21
Pucks Point Subordinate Sewer District
Beg Bal July 1, 2017 - $14,319.95
Income - $597,805.95
Expenses - $578,816.17
End Bal July 31, 2017 - $33,309.73
The Treasurer’s report was approved on a motion by Supervisor Kec, seconded by Supervisor Tomczak, all voting aye, motion carried.
Claims – Clerk Manninen read the claims.
North Star Elec. – Electric for Town Hall - $108.00
Frontier Phone Co. – Phone and Internet – $58.22
Greg House – Mowing the Arrowhead Trail - $240.00
Amazon.com – Town Hall Supplies - $204.81
Taylors Plumbing – Fix Sink Drains - $200.00
North Star Electric – PPSSD site - $380.00
John Stegmeir – Reimburse for Weebly Account Renewal - $19.95
Menards – Town Hall Supplies - $58.70
Business Essentials – Four Toner Cartridges - $440.14
Total - $1,709.82
PPSSD Claims – SEH - $4,267.47
USA – 79,397.59
K Township - $6,059.60
Total - $89,724.66
Supervisor Tomczak moved to accept the claims and pay them in full, seconded by Supervisor Kec, all voting aye motion carried.
Comment Period: None
Old Business
PPSSD - : Collin Marcusen stated that there is still some cleanup work to be done on the pre-treatment and dispersal sites, mainly USA work. Collin did a walk thru today and most district members are happy with what has been done. The Township will need to do a little work on the access road that goes to the treatment area. Collin and Septic Check need to talk about the controls issue in the pretreatment. It may take an air conditioner in that building. If that is the case SEH will split the cost of this with the township. The township would like to thank Collin for all the hard work he has done on this project. The project is coming to an end. The Bridge Loan has been paid off.
Roads & Trails – A new culvert may be needed at on the PPSSD project road. John will speak with Greg House on this matter. Supervisor Tomczak moved to proceed with this project, seconded by Supervisor Kec, all voting aye motion carried. Gravel needs to be laid on Melheim’s road where the county trucks turn around while plowing.
Community Building – Chairman Stegmeir moved to allow the funds to be available to pay the second half of the new digital sign payment when it comes due, seconded by Supervisor Kec, all voting aye, motion carried. The Kabetogama Community Club will reimburse the Township for this payment. Clerk Manninen purchased a handicap sign to be installed at the Town Hall. The board has decided to not install this sign until the new paving has been done on the parking lot so lines can be painted to mark the designated parking spot.
New Business – Catherine Crawford from the Voyageurs National Park spoke on the Ellsworth Rock Garden in the Park. This year the design for a new handicap accessible trail, dock. Next year they will work on a new comfort station, picinic araa, some interpretive media and a trail going along the fence line up to the picnic shelter. The following year they will work on a new dock and the trail. They have been trying to plant flowers that make the area resemble the post card but the deer have been eating the flowers. Everyone is asked to deter visitors from feeding the deer so they may find a new place to forage for food. Work is being done at Kettle Falls to restore much of the old furniture and pictures back to what it looked like many many years ago. This is an ongoing project. The Park has asked the Township if they would like to have a collage of historic pictures of the Kabetogama area put together and hung here at the Town Hall. The park will change them out regularly. The board thought that this was a very good idea and Supervisor Tomczak will work with VNP Catherine Crawford on the project. Miranda (VNP) works with the Kabetogama and Ash River visitor’s centers for the park. She has been told that people in the area like the idea of having a set open and close date at the centers. This year’s hiring process did not lend for this to happen. She spoke about how many visitors have been to the visitor center. In June there were 1212 visitors to the center and over 3000 in July. She spoke about some of the programs that are afforded to all visitors which are all free except for the tour boat excursions. She also spoke about the cattail issues in the park. The native cattails and a new exotic cattail have created a hybrid which is the most aggressive species. The consequences of these species is reduced biodiversity of fish, wildlife, plants and insects. Reduced fish and wildlife habitat. Fewer recreational opportunities for visitors and the impacts to biotic cultural resources, like wild rice. A plan is in motion try and extricate and reduce this invasive species. The park will be trying a machine that chops or grinds these cattails. This may not happen until late August or September. The outcome is not certain at this time and another plan may be in order. Kevin Grossheim spoke on the law enforcement aspect of the Park. Kevin has been training the Kabetogama First Responders on water rescues. He spoke of some issues that they have been taking care of so far this year. Kevin will get some contact information to the Town Hall. There is a youth group working on the Kab/Ash trail this summer. All the eagle nest camp site closures are now all open. Rutter Bay is now closed to the public because of the floating bog that the park anchored there. This is one that they hope to use the machine on.
Supervisor Kec moved to adjourn the meeting at 8:26 pm. Seconded by Supervisor Tomczak, all voting aye
Motion carried.
Respectfully submitted,
Mary Manninen, Clerk
Regular Meeting
August 1, 2017
Chairman Stegmeir opened the meeting at 7:00 pm. Board members present were Supervisors Tomczak and Kec, Clerk Manninen, Treasurer Callais, Deputy Clerk Stegmeir and three guests. Colin Marcusen from SEH was in attendance. Board members and guests recited the Pledge of Allegiance.
Agenda – The agenda was reviewed, Chairman Stegmeir suggested that we allow the Voyageurs National Park guests and Colling From SEH to speak directly after approving the agenda and the minutes then continue with the rest of the agenda. Motion by Supervisor Tomczak to approve the agenda changes, seconded by Supervisor Kec, all voting aye the motion carried,
Minutes – The minutes for the July regular meeting were reviewed. Motion by Supervisor Tomczak to approve the minutes, seconded by Supervisor Kec, all voting aye motion carried.
The Treasurer’s report was read by Treasurer Callais.
Financial Report
Checking –
Beg Bal July 1, 2017 – $165,850.41
Income - $84,068.55
Total Expenses - $58,840.47
End Bal July 31, 2017 – $191,079.49
Road Fund - $18,009.78
Road CD’s - $42,748.04
Road Fund Bal - $60,757.82
Checking CD - $25,619.21
Pucks Point Subordinate Sewer District
Beg Bal July 1, 2017 - $14,319.95
Income - $597,805.95
Expenses - $578,816.17
End Bal July 31, 2017 - $33,309.73
The Treasurer’s report was approved on a motion by Supervisor Kec, seconded by Supervisor Tomczak, all voting aye, motion carried.
Claims – Clerk Manninen read the claims.
North Star Elec. – Electric for Town Hall - $108.00
Frontier Phone Co. – Phone and Internet – $58.22
Greg House – Mowing the Arrowhead Trail - $240.00
Amazon.com – Town Hall Supplies - $204.81
Taylors Plumbing – Fix Sink Drains - $200.00
North Star Electric – PPSSD site - $380.00
John Stegmeir – Reimburse for Weebly Account Renewal - $19.95
Menards – Town Hall Supplies - $58.70
Business Essentials – Four Toner Cartridges - $440.14
Total - $1,709.82
PPSSD Claims – SEH - $4,267.47
USA – 79,397.59
K Township - $6,059.60
Total - $89,724.66
Supervisor Tomczak moved to accept the claims and pay them in full, seconded by Supervisor Kec, all voting aye motion carried.
Comment Period: None
Old Business
PPSSD - : Collin Marcusen stated that there is still some cleanup work to be done on the pre-treatment and dispersal sites, mainly USA work. Collin did a walk thru today and most district members are happy with what has been done. The Township will need to do a little work on the access road that goes to the treatment area. Collin and Septic Check need to talk about the controls issue in the pretreatment. It may take an air conditioner in that building. If that is the case SEH will split the cost of this with the township. The township would like to thank Collin for all the hard work he has done on this project. The project is coming to an end. The Bridge Loan has been paid off.
Roads & Trails – A new culvert may be needed at on the PPSSD project road. John will speak with Greg House on this matter. Supervisor Tomczak moved to proceed with this project, seconded by Supervisor Kec, all voting aye motion carried. Gravel needs to be laid on Melheim’s road where the county trucks turn around while plowing.
Community Building – Chairman Stegmeir moved to allow the funds to be available to pay the second half of the new digital sign payment when it comes due, seconded by Supervisor Kec, all voting aye, motion carried. The Kabetogama Community Club will reimburse the Township for this payment. Clerk Manninen purchased a handicap sign to be installed at the Town Hall. The board has decided to not install this sign until the new paving has been done on the parking lot so lines can be painted to mark the designated parking spot.
New Business – Catherine Crawford from the Voyageurs National Park spoke on the Ellsworth Rock Garden in the Park. This year the design for a new handicap accessible trail, dock. Next year they will work on a new comfort station, picinic araa, some interpretive media and a trail going along the fence line up to the picnic shelter. The following year they will work on a new dock and the trail. They have been trying to plant flowers that make the area resemble the post card but the deer have been eating the flowers. Everyone is asked to deter visitors from feeding the deer so they may find a new place to forage for food. Work is being done at Kettle Falls to restore much of the old furniture and pictures back to what it looked like many many years ago. This is an ongoing project. The Park has asked the Township if they would like to have a collage of historic pictures of the Kabetogama area put together and hung here at the Town Hall. The park will change them out regularly. The board thought that this was a very good idea and Supervisor Tomczak will work with VNP Catherine Crawford on the project. Miranda (VNP) works with the Kabetogama and Ash River visitor’s centers for the park. She has been told that people in the area like the idea of having a set open and close date at the centers. This year’s hiring process did not lend for this to happen. She spoke about how many visitors have been to the visitor center. In June there were 1212 visitors to the center and over 3000 in July. She spoke about some of the programs that are afforded to all visitors which are all free except for the tour boat excursions. She also spoke about the cattail issues in the park. The native cattails and a new exotic cattail have created a hybrid which is the most aggressive species. The consequences of these species is reduced biodiversity of fish, wildlife, plants and insects. Reduced fish and wildlife habitat. Fewer recreational opportunities for visitors and the impacts to biotic cultural resources, like wild rice. A plan is in motion try and extricate and reduce this invasive species. The park will be trying a machine that chops or grinds these cattails. This may not happen until late August or September. The outcome is not certain at this time and another plan may be in order. Kevin Grossheim spoke on the law enforcement aspect of the Park. Kevin has been training the Kabetogama First Responders on water rescues. He spoke of some issues that they have been taking care of so far this year. Kevin will get some contact information to the Town Hall. There is a youth group working on the Kab/Ash trail this summer. All the eagle nest camp site closures are now all open. Rutter Bay is now closed to the public because of the floating bog that the park anchored there. This is one that they hope to use the machine on.
Supervisor Kec moved to adjourn the meeting at 8:26 pm. Seconded by Supervisor Tomczak, all voting aye
Motion carried.
Respectfully submitted,
Mary Manninen, Clerk
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