Helena Township Board of Supervisors Regular Monthly Meeting Minutes
Minutes of March 2, 2023 | New Prague Fire Hall
Call to Order Regular Monthly Meeting was called to order by Chairman Wermerskirchen at 6 p.m. The Pledge of Allegiance was recited.
Present Chairman John Wermerskirchen, Supervisor Duane Deutsch, Supervisor Edward Nytes, Clerk Heather Taylor DuCharme, Deputy Clerk DeAnn Croatt, Road Overseer Jeff Haag, and Treasurer Nathan Hutton. Also present for Tom Johnson and Chris Kubes.
Minutes On motion by Nytes/Deutsch, Annual Board of Audit Meeting and February Workshop Meeting Minutes approved as presented; carried unanimously.
R/O Report Haag presented his report. Items discussed were:
- Scott County Weed Control Program update (additional grants).
- Scott County Parks and Trails update.
- Discussion of calls regarding concerns backups due to snow/ice in culverts on 252nd and WCLD. Supervisors advised Haag no preemptive action to avoid culvert backups. Haag instructed to call county if resident(s) report backup(s) to request county steam/jet any backed up culverts.
- Discussion between Board and Tom Johnson regarding gravel road conditions 2/27/2023.
- Mailbox placement for new construction. Haag advised by Bob Terwedo that Terwedo places mailboxes where instructed to do so by the Postmaster.
- Culvert specs for driveways/field approaches and permits.
- Supervisors advised all culverts should be minimum of 15 inches and some may need to be larger.
- Supervisors discussed updating driveway permit application to include escrow for culverts. For driveway applications where there is no curb/gutter, the fee will be $1,000 with $600 being refundable if culvert installed properly and proper size. Driveway application fee will remain $400 for developments that are curb/gutter and no culvert is needed.
- Supervisors discussed updating field approach permit application to $750 where a culvert is needed with $500 being refundable if culvert installed properly and proper size. Field approach application fee will remain $150 where no culvert is needed.
Old Business Schoenbauer Farms/AA Endeavors. Chris Kubes was present at the meeting to discuss a requested Township Recommendation Form for the Schoenbauer Farms/AA Endeavors developments.
- There will be 19 lots developed total; 7 on 255th (township road) and 12 on Delmar (county road).
- All lots will have driveway approaches before sale of lots to buyers.
- Supervisors advised Kubes that if escrowed funds get low that replenishment may be needed.
- Deutsch asked whether special permits are required because of the oil pipeline through some lots. Kubes advised developer aware and obtaining proper permits.
- Developer’s Agreement will be required prior to mylars.
- Supervisors advised Kubes that mylars may be signed at scheduled meetings for no additional fee or a special meeting may be called for a $200 fee ($100/board member required to sign).
- Sediment ponds and easement/access to ponds discussed. Supervisors advised Kubes more clarity was needed regarding Township access and easements to maintain and clean sediment ponds.
- Township Recommendation Form drafted by Taylor DuCharme. On motion by Deutsch/Wermerskirchen, Township Recommendation Form approved and accepted as presented by Taylor DuCharme; carried unanimously. Supervisors and Clerk signed form. Taylor DuCharme to email copy of executed form to Greg Wagner at Scott County.
Claims Paid After review of invoices/claims and on motion by Deutsch/Nytes, all claims were approved for payment and checks 6624 through 6640 and 5 ACH(s) totaling $33,771.06 were approved for payment; carried unanimously. Roll call vote by Clerk: Wermerskirchen – yes; Nytes – yes; Deutsch – yes. At request of Hutton and on motion by Wermerskirchen/Deutsch, $30,000 was approved to be transferred from savings to checking.
| Check# | Amount | Payee | Reason/Purpose |
| ACH | $229.85 | First Bank & Trust | Credit Card/Expenses |
| ACH | $3,965.00 | First Bank & Trust | Interest |
| 6624 | $1,234.83 | Bryan Rock Products | Gravel |
| 6625 | $62.50 | Couri & Ruppe PLLP | Legal Fees |
| 6626 | $985.68 | Scott County Assoc. Twps. | Dues |
| 6627 | $100.00 | MN Assoc. Twps. | Meeting |
| 6628 | $1,862.00 | MN Assoc. Twps. Ins. Trust | Insurance |
| 6629 | $75.00 | Scott County Treasurer | Salt |
| 6630 | $213.04 | Quality Green LLC | Park Maintenance |
| 6631 | $875.00 | Scott County Treasurer | Salt |
| 6632 | $64.00 | Suel Printing Co | Publication |
| 6633-6639 | $10,763.91 | Officers/Employees | Salaries/Mtg/Reimb. |
| 6640 | $7,890.00 | Art Johnson Trucking Inc. | Snowplowing |
| ACH | $585.68 | MN Dept. Revenue | State Taxes |
| ACH | $1,290.00 | PERA | DCP |
| ACH | $3,574.57 | US Treasury | Federal Taxes |
Treasurer 1. Hutton provided the Board with a review of CTAS and CTAS reports.
Items 2. Hutton presented the Treasurer’s Report, including a review of interest and principal
payment requirements for the WCLD loan and different fund categories. On motion by
Nytes/Deutsch, Treasurer’s Report was approved as presented; carried unanimously
New Receipts
| Date | Amount | Payor | Purpose/Reason |
| 2/2/2023 | $619.82 | Comcast | Franchise Fee |
| 2/2/2023 | $6,128.57 | Bevcomm | Franchise Fee |
| 2/28/2023 | $200.00 | Riverland Bank | Interest |
| 2/28/2023 | $261.95 | State Bank & Trust | Interest |
New Business 1. Ditch Mowing. TJ Deutsch ditch mowing quote reviewed. Taylor DuCharme advised to
request clarification of mile/hourly billing from TJ.
2. County Township Approval Form. Supervisors reviewed form sent to Taylor DuCharme by
County. No changes requested by Supervisors at this time. Taylor DuCharme advised to
communicate no changes to Scott County.
3. City of New Prague Annexation. Discussion of petition and resolution prepared by City of
New Prague. Supervisors instructed Taylor DuCharme to contact City of New Prague
Regarding proposed changes, including $500/acre fee instead of property tax fee.
4. Art Johnson Trucking, Inc. Tom Johnson advised the Supervisors that he and Doug
compared costs other townships pay for snowplowing from by reviewing other townships’ minutes. Based on their comparison, Art Johnson Trucking, Inc. is still competitively priced and does a good job maintaining winter roads. Tom Johnson also discussed ditches and boring on WCLD with Supervisors, when gravel quotes should be sent in, and school bus issues driving on Willow Court (possible need for a no parking sign).
Other Business 1. Discussion of possible meeting dates to be approved at annual meeting.
2. Discussion of upcoming MAT trainings and short courses.
3. Discussion of transportation policy plan, Township Tuesday, MAT newsletter
4. Discussion of SCTA meeting on 3/15/2023
5. Taylor DuCharme advised Board regarding permit reports, code enforcement cases,
sheriff’s report, and March tax payments to townships.
- Discuss who will attend 3/13/2023 county board meeting regarding approval of the plats for Schoenbauer Farms/AA Endeavors. Taylor DuCharme instructed to ask county about issues related to possible tile line damage impacting neighboring properties.
- Hutton advised the Board that Koepper is getting really bad at the end of the street and it is hard, if not impossible, to avoid potholes. Supervisors discussed possible temporary fixes until road construction begins.
- Supervisors discussed professionalism at meetings by Board, residents, and vendors.
- Supervisors instructed Taylor DuCharme that any Facebook requests outside parties to post to Helena Township Facebook page need to be approved by Supervisors.
- Supervisors instructed Taylor DuCharme that any person or entity added to the spotlight section of the Helena Township website needed to be preapproved by Supervisors prior to changes. Board discussed how many clicks Helena Township website gets.
- Supervisors discussed possible contest for Helena Township logo design. Option discussed for contest was one-time scholarship award for a Helena Township resident who is a current high school student.
Continue At 8:30 p.m. on motion by Wermerskirchen/Nytes, the meeting was continued to 3/15/2023 at 5 p.m. for a workshop meeting to be followed by the Scott County Townships Association meeting at Spring Lake Township at 7 p.m.; unanimously carried.
Respectfully submitted Approved
Heather M. Taylor DuCharme, Clerk John Wermerskirchen, Chairperson
