CALL TO ORDER, WELCOME, and PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE – Jan 6:30PM
ATTENDANCE: Supervisors: Jan Keough: Supervisor, Dick Dillon: Supervisor, Gary Mantay: Supervisor, Jenae Pitoscia: Clerk, Mary Hellman: Deputy Clerk, Ray Barnes: Deputy Clerk
Guests: Leianne Knoll Krajewski, Ryan Krajewski, Bill Taft, Jim Taft, Junal Josephson, Alan Josephson, Jeanne Severin, Kent Hoffman, Susan Forbragd, Joseph Lupler, Lea Bourn, Jennifer Werner, Will Werner, William Bailey, Kari Norman, Tyler Norman, Matt Wallner, Mike Siers
*Please note that there was an additional guest in attendance, however the clerk was not able to determine the name based on sign-up sheet.
JULY 2023 MINUTES – Dick made motion to approve July meeting minutes. Gary 2nd. Jan: Aye, Gary: Aye, Dick: Aye. Motion approved.
FINANCIAL REPORT – Ray
TRANSFER –Transfer amount $3116.83. This transfer amount includes potential fine from state for not reporting unemployment wages quarterly. Donna to determine if this could be waived. If she can get fee waived then transfer of $2866.83 would be needed. Check numbers 8603-8616. PERA EFT $54.00. Gary made motion accept transfer of funds totaling $3116.83. Dick 2nd. Jan: Aye, Gary: Aye, Dick: Aye. Motion approved.
CLERK COMMENTS / CORRESPONDANCE- Mary/Jenae: N/A
RECYCLING: Jan: Township received the 2023 recycling grant from WLSSD grant for $4974.36. That will take care of township for the 12 months. Those grant funds have been deposited. February is when we do the grant requests. WLSSD requires that we have detailed reporting on payouts of recycling. Jan will provide documentation to Jenae to assist with this reporting.
WEBPAGE/COMMUNIATIONS REPORT: Jan: Please sign up for ENEWS letter for communications about the township. We will continue to ask people to sign up.
FIRE – Rory/Gary: Pump training the last 2 weeks and will continue through 8/16. Township has new members that are working out well. Township is still looking for volunteers if any community members would like to join.
MAINTENACE: Dick: A contractor has been hired to seal coat the driveway. There is no date set yet. Once a date has been set, Jan will attempt to get the recycling dumpsters moved by WLSSD and Waste Management.
ROADS- Gary: Potential for fall grading if necessary
NEW BUSINESS- Gary/Jan:
- There will be a new voter registration system. This will be an electronic system called. PollPad. Ray and Sue had attended training.
- Township will need to have Automark replaced. Omniballet will be replaced by the county free of charge to township. There will be training to come.
- Pros and Cons will be sent from Ray to Jenae on how this could affect township.
- Our township will most likely need 2 Pollpad units to accommodate our needs
OLD BUSINESS –
MN Department of Agriculture: Ray Barnes reported that a question came to him and Deb Pomroy from MN Department of Agriculture about ensuring our weed reporting is accurate for the township. Latest weed report shows that some weeds are located at a point rather than a polygon. The township has not received this communication from MNDOA.
Short Term Rentals (STR’s): The township hosted a public meeting on August 8th on STR to get public feedback on a proposed ordinance. Approximately 30 people were in attendance. No decisions were made this was strictly to get public opinion. No township officials were paid for this meeting. The areas of concern from the public consisted of the following:
- Cost
- Staff
- Legal cost
- Limiting future options for community members
- If STR owners should live in township
- Legal Council
- Cost of administration
- Restrictions of boats and dogs
- Administration in general
- Transparency in communications
There are some ideas on how we can better communicate with more people in the area. Some ideas include mail surveys with taxpayers in the area. There is a possible meeting with county commissioner about the man power of the county to address concerns regarding STR’s in the area. There is a potential to have a meeting alongside of Eagles Nest township with county commissioner in regards to STR’s.
Comments and Questions from today’s meeting attendees in regards to STR’s and the creation of the proposed ordinance were as follows:
- Can everyone in the township vote on this potential ordnance?
- Referendum could be a potential
- What is the background of why this ordnance and committee set up?
- Last fall some community members expressed some concerns on how the county was handling STR’s. There was not a concern on existing STR’s. The concern was with noise, septic’s and having to many STR’s on the lake. Denise Anderson was designated as a chair leader to go out and gain some information about STR’s with other members of the community. That led to a proposed ordinance that was the topic of the August 8th meeting.
- Rules of the proposed ordinance were based on neighboring townships and current county rules and regulations. Items were removed that did not apply to our area
- Concern was if the community would rather be proactive with community action or let the county continue to regulate STR’s on their own.
- Main issues from community members on the committee were noise, possible future number of STR’s and respect to the community as a whole.
- Would there be an issue with property values?
- Would there be an issue with property taxes?
- What is the potential for lawsuits for the township?
- Community would like to have discussion with the county commissioner to listen to concerns.
- Items on proposed draft ordinance were meant to be discussed with the public and get feedback from all community members.
- Committee members reached out to others in the area on feedback before August 8th meeting and were not able to get any feedback.
- County established regulations on STR’s in 2020, but the COVID pandemic delayed implementation.
- Committee asked for public forum to ensure that public feedback was received.
- If we do have an ordinance for STR’s does that make zoning and planning totally on the township’s responsibility?
- The board does not want to take over all zoning and planning
- Some citizens were not aware of the August 8th meeting
- Was posted on the door and on website however the board would like to make improvements on communications on meetings for the future.
- What are actual complains from the township on STR’s?
- No complaints have been documented as of yet
- Barrs Lake is zoned as multi-use on one side of the lake and residential on the other. Is there a potential to get this section rezoned?
- Most of cost would come from attorneys.
- MAT attorneys will only provide advice. Township would need to hire out an attorney on its own
- Can a Lake Association be of assistance?
- Is the Website up to date?
- Does not state upcoming meetings. This is something that will need to be updated by the board.
- Community members would like letter written or meeting set up to county in regards to STR’s and have community members ask questions.
- Request was made to have board provide regular updates on STR ordinance progress
- Committee’s in the future should have an unbiased group that accounts for all opinions and locations from the community members.
- There are too many unanswered questions in regards to STR’s at this time from the board perspective to move forward and would like to see this tabled until further information, meetings and public feedback could be obtained.
- Please send comments to board members at any time.
- Please review Webpage at northstarmn.net
Dick made a motion to table this ordinance for 6 months. The board would like to have more information from the county before moving forward at all. Gary 2nd. Jan: Aye, Gary: Aye, Dick: Aye. Motion approved.
Insurance: Ray Barnes reported that the township has received documentation on our MATIT insurance policy including cost. There is a copy of the old policy and the new policy to review.
REVIEW OF DUTIES- N/A
UPCOMING EVENTS – Next Board Meeting:September 19th, 2023
ADJOURNMENT: Dick made motion to adjourn 7:20 PM Gary. 2nd . Jan: Aye, Gary: Aye, Dick: Aye. Motion approved.