Board Minutes: Jan. 13, 2009

Board of Supervisors

BRIDGEWATER TOWNSHIP County of Rice, State of Minnesota

February 10, 2009

The meeting was called to order by Chair Kathleen Doran-Norton. In attendance were supervisors Glen Castore and Leif Knecht, treasurer, Brad Pfahning, Zoning Administrator Jim Braun, Planning Consultant, Carolyn Braun, and clerk, Pam Petersen. The Flag Pledge was said by all present. The agenda was approved with changes by a motion by G Castore, second by L Knecht, motion carried. The Claims were approved to be paid by a motion by G Castore, , second by L Knecht, motion carried. B Pfahning reported that at this time there is $80,000.00 in the checking account, $28,000.00 in the savings account, and the COD’s are held at First National Bank and Wells Fargo. He has opened three separate accounts at Frandsen Bank & Trust to hold the funds from the Landfill Host Fee. There was a discussion and question of how the landfill waste is computed for the host fee. Is it done by measurement of what is in the pit? Or is it paid by the ton which is weighed when brought in. Consensus is that the payment must be consistent with the judge’s ruling. Budget Work Session will be Tues. 2/17/09 at 8:00 PM, with the regular work session starting at 7:00PM as usual. Brad and Pam will meet on Sat. 2/21/09 at 9:00AM to prepare for the upcoming audit. Tues. 2/24/09 will be a work session to finalize the budget, if needed. The Board of Audit will be Saturday, February 28, 2009 at 9:00AM. A Public Notice will be put in the Northfield News, the website, and the township calendar. The Annual Township meeting will be Tuesday, March 10, 2009, starting at 8:15PM. This will follow the close of the township election.

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The next actionable meeting will be Tuesday, March 17, 2009 at 7:00PM. The Reorganizational Meeting will be Saturday, March 21, 2009 at 9:00AM. Leif Knecht will be using the town hall for a class reunion meeting on 2/11, 2009. The minutes from the January 13, 2009 meeting were approved with a motion made by G Castore, second from L Knecht. The motion carried. K Doran-Norton abstained as she was not present at the meeting. Gravel Bids were opened and presented three companies, Keilmeyer, Gleason and Castle Rock Materials. These will be discussed at a work session. The Public Hearing on the Right of Way Ordinance was opened at 7:30 PM. The Hearing was closed at 7:49 PM. The following changes will be made: Chapter 13 will read Ordinance; Chapter 1-51 will read Section 1-51, Section 13-32 will read Breach. Leif Knecht made a motion to approve the ordinance with those changes, Glen Castore seconded the motion, all voted in approval of the ordinance, 2009-01, AN ORDINANCE REGULATING TOWN RIGHTS-OF-WAY. The resolution denying AgapeCrossing a zoning ordinance amendment was brought before the Board. A motion was made by G Castore to approve the resolution, seconded by L Knecht, all voted in approval of RESOULTION NO. 2009-01, RESOLUTION DENYING ZONING ORDINANCE AMENDMENT AGAPE CROSSINGS. The resolution denying a conditional use permit to Agape Crossings was brought before the Board. G Castore made a motion to approve the resolution, a second was made by L Knecht, all voted in approval of RESOLUTION 2009-02, RESOLUTION DENYING CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT AGAPE CROSSINGS. The resolution approving the publication of the summary of the town right-of way ordinance was brought before the Board. G Castore made the motion to approve the resolution, seconded by L Knecht, all voted in approval of RESOLUTION 2009-03, RESOLUTION APPROVING PUBLICATION OF TOWN RIGHT-OF-WAY ORDINANCE. The above resolutions and ordinances were also in unanimous agreement within the Planning Commission. 2

Discussion of Transfer Development Rights within the current zoning ordinances was also discussed to make sure all parties are protected. L Knecht; Discussion of possible takeover/transfer of Fawn Court from private road to township ownership. The road would need to be upgraded before this could happen. On the agenda for the March meeting would be discussion of the Planning Commission members. New Business: The possible approval of Resolution 2009-04, Green Acres. This is a proposal to reinstate the lower land tax for farmers to leave land in green area, forest, etc., to not be forced out due to high taxes. L Knecht made a motion to approve the resolution, seconded by G Castore, all unanimously voted to approve the resolution. There was then some discussion to reconsider, make a change to, the resolution. L Knecht made a motion to approve the change, seconded by G Castore, all voted to approve the change. Knecht made a motion to approve the amended resolution, seconded by G Castore, motion to approve RESOULTUTION 2009-04, GREEN ACRES, was approved unanimously. Stream Inventory: G Castore has been meeting with the Cannon River Watershed Partnership. They have worked out a contract between both parties. Why the undertaking of this project? There have been requests from some of the area landowners and the second is to ensure the safety of our streams in Bridgewater Township. The goal is to highlight those who have done a good job of stream protection and help those who would like to do a better job of protecting the waterways. The motion to approve the contract between Bridgewarter Township and CRWP was made by G Castore, seconded by L Knecht, motion passed unanimously. The funds will come from the Landfill Host Fee funds to be used for Soil and Water Improvement. Take away from the Joint Governmental Meeting: Gravel Tax: The doubling of the gravel tax and how it would be distributed. Jeff Docken took the documents to the Rice County Planning Commission.

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One item to note was that 15% of the tax must go into gravel pit reclamation Brian O’Connell shared some information on foreclosed properties in Lonsdale, Northfield, and Faribault, how to take care of them—3 scenarios, fix up to resell, to rent out, or to demolish. Greenvale Township has a nice town hall. It consists of meeting room, kitchen area and restrooms. It does not have a shop. The Board of Supervisors of Greenvale Township are happy with their annexation agreement with the City of Northfield. Dundas Annexation: K Doran-Norton stated that Dundas had received the spreadsheet of properties within the annexation area that will be a part of the funds we receive from them per the agreement. One property will be removed as it is not 100% completed. K Doran-Norton will schedule a meeting with the Dundas City Council for yearly updating on property within the Annexation Area for the tax payments. There are numerous ways to search the county records for these properties, Beacon, Vanguard, and property searches under building permits. L Knecht: WSB will bring forth a rough estimate on the cost to upgrade Decker Avenue and 100th Street. The township wants them to look at a couple of options. Per Dennis Luebbe, upgrade to a 10 ton road. Per Tom McMahon, widen the road to a 24 foot top. There was a motion made by G Castore to have McGhee-Betts do soil borings after the spring breakup. This was seconded by K Doran-Norton, the motion carried. At this time the cost is not to exceed $8,000.00. The transfer of the easements along North Avenue to the City of Northfield are as the agreement in 1999. (?) Update on the lawsuit with Rice County Landfill, per the Ordinances, they must get a building permit from Bridgewater Township, and the ordinance states that no new landfills are allowed in the township. The erosion issues on the Gary Rock property is starting with the thaw. A motion to adjourn is made by G Castore, second by L Knecht, motion carried. Pam Petersen, Clerk

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