Meeting Minutes:

Call to Order

Present

Supervisor Items

Road Overseer Items

Clerk Items

Treasurer Items

255^th/Willow Court Project

Motion to Adjourn

Workshop meeting was called to order by Chairperson Nytes at 5 p.m.

Chairperson Edward Nytes, Supervisor John Wermerskirchen, Supervisor DeAnn Croatt, Treasurer Nathan Hutton, Clerk Heather Taylor DuCharme, and Deputy Clerk Kimberly Carlberg. Not present: Road Overseer Jeff Haag.

Supervisors presented and discussed the following items.

1.       Nytes received a call from a resident who wants to remove trees from the right of way on 250^th. Nytes advised resident to go ahead.

2.       Nytes received a call from a resident wanting to widen field approaches. Nytes advised them to talk to Haag regarding permitting and culvert requirements and issues.

3.       Troy Kuphal (Scott County) called Nytes regarding a Minnesota Wetland Conservation Act Notice of Application. Application needed a LGU to sign off and Nytes is the LGU for Helena Township. Resident on WCLD wants to fill in approximately 2,000 square feet of wetland. County called this a de minimis request. County is okay with the application as long as the State approves. If resident moves forward prior to State approval and State doesn’t approve, resident will have to dig out any filled in area. Resident is paying County $7,000 for a wetland credit (plus the cost of the project). Kuphal advised Nytes that previous board chairs had always signed off on applications presented by Kuphal. Nytes signed off on application as LGU based on discussions with Kuphal. Board discussed wetland credits and availability.

4.       Wermerskirchen advised the Board that the Jordan Fire meeting is scheduled for after the workshop. He will ask about grants requested to offset costs, assessments for planned costs, and fire call bills. He requested notes for fire billings that are currently available.

5.       Wermerskirchen provided an update on the state of the plowed roads during and after the last snow.

6.       Croatt brought up the shared road maintenance agreement with Cedar Lake Township (CLT). Supervisors reviewed recent email and proposals from CLT. Supervisors instructed Taylor DuCharme revise the proposed agreement emailed by CLT to include that the new agreement replaces the old, annual renewal after 5 years if a Township does not request to discontinue and/or if a new agreement isn’t made, and a 90 day notice to review and amend agreement after 5 years. Wermerskirchen advised the Board that CLT called him after the last meeting and complimented the meeting style.

7.       Croatt inquired regarding the status of the 255^th/Willow Court project. Board reviewed most recent email from Andrew Vistad. Supervisors instructed Taylor DuCharme to email Vistad to request plans and specs for March regular meeting and presentation materials for assessment hearing. Discussion of project dates, including scheduling assessment hearing.

8.       Review of mowing quotes received (TJ Deutsch and Northstar). Supervisors tabled discussion of mowing quotes until Haag is present to provide input.

9.       Tom Johnson from Art Johnson Trucking, Inc. called Croatt and Nytes (separately) to request (a) notice of cancelled meetings (Supervisors instructed that Haag should provide notice in the future) and (b) more specific dates to submit quotes for gravel/grading and snowplowing.

10.   Review of Township Insider recent edition.

11.   Discussion of email from City of New Prague regarding Bisek/Keyland development.

12.   Discussion regarding grading and gravel quotes and work performed from past years.

13.   Nytes received a text regarding garbage on 270^th and he will communicate with Haag to take care of it.

Haag was not present at the meeting but provided Taylor DuCharme information for Board.

1.       Missing signs for Baseline are in and should be replaced/up next week.

2.       No response yet from USPS regarding mailbox posts for 255^th/Willow Court project. This shouldn’t impact project costs but it is information that is needed. Will continue to attempt follow up.

Taylor DuCharme presented the following items.

1.       Scott County Sheriff’s Office will send a deputy to the annual meeting to provide a report and answer questions.

2.       Email received from Scott County regarding Rural ADU revisions. Public hearing is scheduled for 4/14/2025. Supervisors instructed Taylor DuCharme to email County that Helena Township has no objections to changes and supports County decisions regarding ADU.

3.       Email received from Scott County regarding Capital Improvement Projects for 2025-2029. The Township is not mentioned in the email/attachment except being identified on maps.

4.       Contact person for Comcast was found and should be updating the address Comcast uses for sending mail to the Township to the official post office box.

5.       Taylor DuCharme attended the recent CLAWSSD meeting and provided an update regarding (a) resident concerns addressed for Silver Maple Bay Estates, (b) the finances of CLAWSSD reviewed the meeting, (c) and other topics from the meeting.

6.       Carlberg is doing a fantastic job as Deputy Clerk during meetings and outside of meetings, including learning Township ins and outs, working on the website, and keeping track of agenda items.

Hutton presented the following items.

1.       Final 1099s were mailed and one was returned. Hutton will resend to updated address.

2.       Couri & Ruppe responded to request for information regarding check mailed in December 2023. C&R said that check was not received but balance due was paid as part of January check received. Hutton reviewed all statements and does not see where the amount due as part of the December payment was billed on later invoices. Will void December check and update records for year end reporting for 2025 as this may impact final reporting.

3.       Bank Updates.

a.       One of the banks is updating how it insures extra funds in Township accounts to use IntraFi.

b.       Township needs to take Duane Deutsch (former Supervisor) and Patricia Lambrecht (former Treasurer) off of First Bank & Trust accounts and add Carlberg (current Deputy Clerk). All current Board members need to be present to make these changes. Board will meet at First Bank & Trust on 2/28/2025 at 12 p.m. (Taylor DuCharme to post as meeting because all Supervisors will be present).

c.       Township needs to take Duane Deutsch (former Supervisor) and Patricia Lambrecht (former Treasurer and former Deputy Treasurer) off of Riverland Bank accounts and add Taylor DuCharme (current Clerk) and Carlberg (current Deputy Clerk). Riverland requires documentation showing who the current board members are and who should be added/removed. Meeting minutes should meet the documentation requirement.

d.       Riverland Bank. On motion by Wermerskirchen/Croatt, (a) Duane Deutsch (former Supervisor) and Patricia Lambrecht (former Treasurer and former Deputy Treasurer) will be removed from having any access to and control over the Helena Township accounts at Riverland Bank because they are no longer elected or appointed officials for Helena Township and (b) Heather Taylor DuCharme (current Clerk) and Kimberly Carlberg (current Deputy Clerk) will be added as having access to the Helena Township accounts at Riverland Bank because they are current elected or appointed officials for Helena Township; carried unanimously.

e.       First Bank & Trust. On motion by Croatt/ Wermerskirchen, (a) Duane Deutsch (former Supervisor) and Patricia Lambrecht (former Treasurer and former Deputy Treasurer) will be removed from having any access to and control over the Helena Township accounts at First Bank & Trust because they are no longer elected or appointed officials for Helena Township and (b) Kimberly Carlberg (current Deputy Clerk) will be added as having access to the Helena Township accounts at First Bank & Trust because she is a current appointed official for Helena Township; carried unanimously.

f.        On motion by Croatt/ Wermerskirchen, (a) DeAnn Croatt (current Supervisor) will be removed from having any access to and control over the Helena Township accounts at First Bank & Trust and will be replaced by adding Kimberly Carlberg (current Deputy Clerk) as having access to the Helena Township accounts at First Bank & Trust because she is a current appointed official for Helena Township; carried unanimously.

g.       The Supervisor (and Board) intend for these motions in these minutes to be sufficient to make the changes to the persons who have access to the Helena Township bank accounts.

Request by Supervisors to add project dates provided by Vistad to future agendas for reference.

At 6:40 p.m. on motion by Croatt/Wermerskirchen, meeting adjourned; carried unanimously.