Chairperson Ron Gajewski called the Regular Solway Town Board Meeting to order at 6:30 p.m. at the Solway Town Hall, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance. Also present were Supervisors Clare R. Stromlund and Scott Welsh, Clerk Regena Merritt, Treasurer Cindy Moe, and seven concerned citizens.

MOTION made by Gajewski, seconded by Stromlund, and carried to approve the minutes from the March 17, 2009 Town Board Meeting with one correction on page 3 under Fire, paragraph b.  It should state that Randy “Nelson” is retiring, not Randy “Johnson”.

MOTION by Welsh, seconded by Stromlund and carried to accept the following Treasurer’s report dated March 31, 2009.

INCOMING CORRESPONDENCE:

4/6/09 WLSSD  - Operating grant application which the Clerk will complete and return. .

4/7/09 Country Trucking and Excavating – Aggregate Tax reporting forms for the fourth quarter of 2008 and the first quarter of 2009.

4/8/09 ARDC – Regional Transportation Advisory Committee In-Kind Grant Program.  This is a grant for $5,000 to $10,000 of staff time from Arrowhead Regional Development Commission to perform transportation planning. There are no projects at Solway that could be considered for this grant. 

4/9/09 SLC Auditor’s office – Notice that Richard F. Holt is resigning his position as Board Member of the Western lake Superior Sanitary District. 

Solway Township  has two votes toward the election of a new Board Member.

4/10/09 St. Louis County Planning and Development Department – Decision regarding the application for re-zoning portions of Section 24 and 25 in Solway Township. The Planning commission recommended to the County Board approval of the re-zoning request. 

OUTSTANDING BILLS: The Treasurer has the following list of additional bills: Jim Lindquist in the amount of $850.00 for road grading; Wood Expressions in the amount of $1040 for labor and supplies to paint the interior of the town hall; Miller’s roofing in the amount of $1,760 for new shingles on the handicapped ramp entrance; Shelton Excavating in the amount of $112.50 for snowplowing; Leon Forstrom in the amount of $38,62 for reimbursement; and Pete Hildre in the amount of $10,28 for reimbursement. MOTION by Stromlund, seconded by Welsh, and carried to pay all bills as presented by the Treasurer, and transfer any needed funds from savings to checking to cover these bills. 

CITIZEN REQUESTS/CONCERNS:  a) Les Doughtery from Dougherty Aggregate appeared before the board to inform them that he is available to do roadwork.   Mr. Doughtery supplied a list of the services he provides.

ROAD: a) Supervisor Gajewski mentioned that when the crack filling was completed last year Sinnott Blacktopping said if there were any cracks that needed to be re-filled they would come back in the spring and do so.   The board will wait until the frost is out of the ground and check the parking lots.

b) Chairperson Gajewski reported that the last ¼ mile of the VanGassler Road   is in need of brushing. The Board will check this road at the Annual Road Inspection on April 24^th.

c) The office received a complaint on the Sandberg Road.  The road was graded shortly after.

d) Leon Forstrom picked up the remains of a sofa that were in the right-of-way on the Lindrose Road and properly disposed of it.

FIRE:  a) Chief Suliin reported that there is a new FEMA rule that firefighters will need a CDL license to drive the fire trucks.   The department did not give a report on calls to date.

b) Chief Suliin is submitting a FEMA grant to replace tanker #2 and also an equipment in the amount of $40,000 – $50,000.   There is a 5% match on these grants.  Chief Suliin explained that a department can apply for two grants from FEMA.  MOTION by Gajewski, seconded by Welsh and carried that if the fire department is successful in getting FEMA grants, the township will pay the 5% matching dollar amount. 

c) The Strike Team use of Fire Trucks Agreement needs to be signed by the Town Board.   The Board would like to change parts of the agreement to read the same as the contract for service between the Fire Department and the Township.

MOTION by Gajewski seconded by Welsh and carried to make the changes to the Strike Team agreement and to sign the new agreement.

d) Chief Suliin will coordinate with Steve Adamski a date to take Engine #1 from the hall to Mr. Adamski’s shop in Ashland.  

RECYCLING:  a) Nothing to report.

HALL: a) New roofing over the handicapped roof has been completed.

b) Treasurer Moe has ordered a sample of the padded folding chairs the board would like to purchase for the hall.  The board can look the chair over and decide if it is what they would like to order by the next Town Board meeting.

c) The board has asked Pete Hildre for a quote for new cabinets and other remodeling work downstairs in the town hall. This quote includes white melamine cabinets and new countertop.  Mr. Hildre had a countertop sample that is presently on sale for $4.99 per foot. The quote for new cabinets and countertop is $1,600 and $525 for post covers to go over the metal posts in the basement.  MOTION by Gajewski, seconded by Welsh and carried to have Pete Hildre make new cabinets and countertops, and also covers for the metal posts in the basement of the town hall for the amount of $2,125.

d) The board discussed having a shelf installed in the hall office for additional storage.  MOTION by Gajewski, seconded by Stromlund and carried to have Pete Hildre install a shelf in the hall office.

PARK: a) Supervisor Gajewski completed a park report that was reviewed by the board.  The pea rock in the large playground needs to be smoothed out.  Pavilion needs to be swept.  There are repairs needed to the horseshoe pits after an ATV ran on the pit area. General spring clean up is needed.  The metal plate at the bottom of the handicapped ramp has raised up making it hard for a wheelchair to cross over it.  This metal plate is also slippery if there is rain or snow on it. MOTION by Gajewski, seconded by Welsh and carried to replace the plate at the base of the handicapped ramp with a “diamond plate” type.   Leon Forstrom will do this.

b) It is time to get the biffie at the Munger Site Soccer Field.   The Clerk will call and order one to be delivered to the field.

c) Chairperson Gajewski reported that Pete Hildre mentioned that a rust neutralizer could be applied to the baseball backstop posts instead of sandblasting the posts.  After some sanding, the posts then can be painted.  The board will ask Mr. Hildre for a quote to do this work

d) There is a leak in the roof of the garage at the Munger School Site.   Supervisor Gajewski will look into what will be needed to repair the leak.

CEMETERY:  a) There is a sign at the cemetery that states “only flat markers are allowed at the Solway Cemetery”.   The board does allow upright monuments at the cemetery.  The board has directed Leon Forstrom to remove the statement that only flat markers are allowed from the sign.  

b) There are six gravesites from winter burials that need to be filled and grass seed applied.  Leon Forstrom along with John and Veronica Childers will be working on filling those gravesites. Chairperson Gajewski mentioned that at the Short Course Training he learned that there should be a monthly inspection of the cemetery for liability hazards. This will be completed along with the playground monthly inspections.

COMMITTEES: a) Nothing to report.

OLD BUSINESS:  a) Chairperson Gajewski asked what the board thought of the new format for the newsletter.  The board thought it was easier to read and should work well.

 b) The board has asked John Bray to draft a letter to Country Trucking and Excavating asking for $250 expenses incurred for aggregate tax collection.  MOTION by Stromlund, seconded by Welsh and carried to send the letter as Attorney John Bray has drafted to Country Trucking and Excavating asking for  $250  to reimburse the township for legal fees.

c) The Board of Appeal and Equalization meeting date has been changed to May 7, 2009 at 5:00 p.m.  The Clerk will post and publish this meeting.

d) The Zoning change requested by the Town Board was heard at the St. Louis County Planning Commission meeting and the Commission recommended to the County Board to approve the zoning change. 

NEW BUSINESS: a) There is an optional $2,000 miscellaneous tool coverage through our policy with the Minnesota Association of Townships for $8.00 per year.  MOTION by Gajewski, seconded by Welsh and carried to add the additional miscellaneous tool coverage to the township insurance policy package.  

b) Chairperson Gajewski explained that at the Minnesota Association of Townships training course he learned that volunteers need to sign a “ Service Waiver”.  The Clerk will contact Kristin to get a sample of the “service waiver”.

c) There is an opportunity for the Town Board to buy life insurance through the Minnesota Benefit Association.  The board feels that this is not something we want to spend tax dollars on.

d) It was brought to the Boards attention from the Minnesota Association of Townships newspaper that when the Supervisors are doing work other than as Town Board Supervisors, there needs to be a resolution pertaining to “conflict of interest”.  The Clerk will get a sample copy of the resolution for the board to review.

e) John Moe will donate a television and VCR to the township.    The Clerk uses the television and VCR for election judge training and the Senior Citizens use it for the 55-Alive Classes.