Local Municipality Minutes

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Burtrum City • April 10, 2023

Present: Jenae Ulbricht, Romie Gessell, Irene Ehlert, Juli Scherping, Chad Landowski and Brooke Thieschafer. Others present: Ronald Strassburg, Debbie Strassburg, Steve Marty, Joe Muellner, Barney Van Havermaet, Walter Hoppe.

Call to Order/Pledge of Allegiance: Mayor Ulbricht called the meeting to order at 7:01 PM.

Approval of the Minutes: Mayor Ulbricht amended the minutes to reflect that Rahn’s Propane payment was voided and did not come out of the bank account. Motion by Romie Gessell seconded by Irene Ehlert. All in favor, motion carried.

Approval of Agenda City Council: Approve the agenda as posted in accordance with the Open Meeting Law and herein place all agenda items on the table for discussion. Motion by Irene Ehlert seconded by Juli Scherping. All in favor, motion carried.

Approval of Bills City Council: Total bills for the month were $1,707.09. Deposits totaling $80.00. Motion by Irene Ehlert seconded by Romie Gessell. All in favor, motion carried.

Old Business: Handicap Railings at Community Center: Romie Gessell bought back some pricings for a variety of handles from a company in Long Prairie. Prices vary from white and stainless steel. Pricing did not include installation. Going to keep working on pricing with other companies. No action needed at this time.

City Phone Number/Wi-Fi Community Center: We have applied for a COOP purchasing Agreement with the State of MN. Once we get that approved, we will be able to move forward with Verizon.

City locks: Mayor Ulbricht went over quotes received thus far. Most locks will require Wi-Fi. Waiting to hear back from a quote from a company out of Rice, MN. Will report back at the next meeting. No action needed at this time.

City Laptops: Laptop has been purchased.

City Clean Up Bid: City Clean up day is scheduled for May 20th, 2023. Joe Muellner stated we will be using Opatz. Prices will vary by pound per item. Most items will be 15 cents per pound. Tires will be 30 cents per pound. Shirley with the township will send out postcards/flyers with pricing and policies. We will put flyers outside of the community center and post on Facebook. Chad Landowski made a motion to approve Clean Up day. Irene Ehlert supported. All in favor, motion carried.

Name Changes on all Accounts: All accounts should be updated to reflect the correct contact person. Mayor Ulbricht is now in the possession of the safety deposit keys for the City of Burtrum. Quinlivan & Hughes (city attorney) No Update. City is continuing to gather the information on rates from other attorney offices for the position of city attorney.

City Sign/Logo: Update - Central Lakes College students were given an assignment to create a city logo for us. Mayor Ulbricht will donate a $100 gift card to the winner, no funds will come out of the city. We will look into the city sign once we receive the logo back.

New Business: No new business at this time.

Open Floor: Walter Hoppe, 219 Jane Ave South, asked “How much liability insurance does the city carry?” Mayor Ulbricht will look into this and get back to him.

Steve Marty, 3388 104th Street, asked “Heard charging to use the Community Center for the bean bake?” “4-H was never charged.” Locals voiced the concern of being charged. Mayor Ulbricht stated the charge was voted on by the city council. Still waiting to get non profit paperwork from the Bean Bake. Conversations were had about the benefit the bean bake does for the community. Discussed some dates for holding the community center for the bean bake. Mayor Ulbricht stated an application would need to be filled out to secure those dates. The charge for the bean bake will be discussed at the next meeting.

Discussion had on cleaning out the office. The Mayor and the City Clerk are working on getting retention information and sorting through all the files. Barney VanHavermaet stated he would help with the shelving in the office and assist with cleaning out and organizing. Debbie Strassburg also stated she would help.

Debbie Strassburg mentioned that some people were disappointed in the Easter Egg Hunt being canceled.

Joe Zupan, 119 Washington W, “The alleyway behind the Cabooze, the street that goes straight up needs Class 5 bad.” Mayor Ulbricht stated the grading company will look at it when they come out next. Chad Landowski mentioned checking dust control and getting scheduled right away on their books. Debbie Strassburg mentioned looking into a new grading company.

Announcements: Acknowledge the following people: Bobby Veldkamp for plowing the snow. Irene Elhert discussed different garbage options and pricing to switch to. If interested, Irene has the number to contact for detailed pricing.

Adjournment: Motion by Chad Landowski, seconded by Romie Gessell to adjourn meeting at 7:44 P.M. Motion carried. Minutes not approved.

Brooke Thieschafer, City Clerk-Treasurer

Burnhamville Township • March 28, 2023

The regular meeting of the Town Board of Burnhamville was held March 28, 2023 at the Burtrum Community Center. The meeting was called to order at 7:00 p.m. by Clerk Shirley Hulinsky. Members present include Supervisors Bruce Johnson, Joe Muellner and Mike Berscheit; Clerk Shirley Hulinsky; Treasurer Pam Throener. Also present were Ron Strassburg, Seth Strassburg and Erv Herdering.

Newly reelected officers took oath of office before this meeting.

As this is the reorganizational meeting after our township elections, Sup. Johnson made a motion to select Sup. Berscheit as Chair for the year. Sup. Muellner seconded the motion. Sup. Muellner made a motion to select Sup. Johnson for ViceChair for the year. Motion was seconded by Sup. Berscheit. Motions passed.

The minutes from the regular meeting of February 28, 2023 were approved on a motion by Sup. Johnson and second by Sup. Berscheit. Motion passed.

For correspondence the township received ads for sealcoating and custom signs, letter from bank about CD renewal and contact information on account and notice of county planning and zoning meeting about sewage treatment changes.

Residents were here to ask about making a field approach. They were given an access permit and a supervisor will meet with them to view the area.

A motion was made by Sup. Berscheit to pay all bills numbered 6418 through 6433 totaling $14,040.48. Sup. Muellner seconded the motion. Motion passed.

As part of the reorganization Sup. Berscheit made a motion to keep wages the same and mileage will again follow the IRS rate. Sup. Johnson seconded the motion. Sup. Berscheit made a motion to keep the meetings on the last Tuesday of the month at 7 pm at the Burtrum Community

General Notice To Control Or Eradicate Noxious Weeds

Notice is hereby given this 15th day of May, 2023, pursuant to Minnesota Statutes, Section 18.83, Subdivision 1 (2009), that all persons in Stearns County, Minnesota, shall control or eradicate all noxious weeds on land they occupy or are required to maintain. Control or eradication may be accomplished by any lawful method, but the method(s) applied may need to be repeated in order to prevent the spread of viable noxious weed seeds and other propagating parts to other lands. Failure to comply with the general notice may mean that an individual notice, Minnesota Statutes, Section 18.83, Subdivision 2 (2009), will be issued. An individual notice may be appealed within three working days of receipt to the appeal committee in the county where the land is located. Failure to comply with an individual notice will mean that the inspector having jurisdiction may either hire the work done or seek a misdemeanor charge against the person(s) who failed to comply. If the work is hired by the county inspector, the cost can be placed as a tax upon the land and collected as other real estate taxes are collected. You may obtain a list of the plants that are designated as noxious weeds and the members of the appeal committee from your County Agricultural Inspector or County. You can also obtain this information from your Local Weed Inspectors. Local Weed Inspectors include the township supervisors, city mayors or their appointed assistants. More information regarding the statewide/county listed noxious weeds, the MN Noxious Weed Law and a list of County Agricultural Inspectors can be obtained from the Minnesota Department of Agriculture’s Web Site by visiting: https://www.mda.state.mn.us/plants-insects/noxiousinvasive-weed-program. Additionally, Stearns County is listing Rough Potato/Metaplexis japonica as a county listed prohibited weed in 2023.

Bob Dunning Stearns County Agricultural Inspector P.O. Box 246, St. Cloud, MN 56301

Center. Motion was seconded by Sup. Muellner. Sup. Johnson made a motion to keep the gopher bounty at $3 per tail. Sup. Berscheit seconded the motion. Sup. Berscheit made a motion to keep the Long Prairie Leader the official publishing paper and the Burtrum Bell Bulletin Board will be the official posting site. Motion was seconded by Sup. Johnson. Sup. Berscheit made a motion to have First State Bank of Swanville and the Magnifi Financial Credit Union as official depositories for township funds. Sup. Johnson seconded the motion. Motions passed.

Road contract bids were viewed. Sup. Johnson made a motion to accept the bids for gravel, blading, and dust control from Herdering, Inc. Sup. Berscheit seconded the motion. Motion passed.

In the road report supervisors noted that blading Morrison County Line Road was an improvement and contractor will also work on 331st St. south of town as conditions allow. The contractor will continue to blade out rough roads as the weather conditions permit. With the roads getting soft as ice and snow melt it will be hard to plow snow if we get more snow. The contractor has more storage for dust control product this year.

The board received three bids for clean-up day. Sup. Berscheit made a motion to accept the bid from Opatz Metals & Rolloffs for clean-up day. Sup. Johnson seconded the motion. Motion passed.

Township election was held March 14 with 19 votes cast the same officers were reelected.

After receiving more information the township has received most of the FEMA funds applied for.

Treasurer’s report showed a balance of $87,384.27. Two CD’s were renewed and the clerk and treasurer completed contact forms. Sup. Berscheit motioned to approve and Sup. Johnson seconded the motion. Motion passed.

Meeting was adjourned at 7:43 p.m. on a motion by Sup. Berscheit and a second by Sup. Johnson. Next regular meeting will be on Tuesday, April 25, 2023 at 7 pm in the Burtrum Community Center.

Shirley Hulinsky, Burnhamville Township Clerk

Upstage Players Announce Open Auditions

The Upstage Players Board is hosting auditions for its 2023 summer community theatre production, Singin’ in the Rain. Auditions will be held in the media center at the Upsala High School on Monday, May 15 and 16 from 6 P.M. until 8 P.M. (Actors are allowed to leave after their audition instead of remaining the entire time, but plan to arrive with enough time to fill out the audition form.) If you had been planning to audition, but can’t make that audition date work, please email Melanie at mcimenski@ isd485.org to see if something can be worked out. The play offers roles for a wide variety of ages, from middle/high school to very wise. In order to be considered for a role, actors must be able to be present for all performances.

Auditioning actors 1) will be taught a short section of choreography to dance two to four times in a group, 2) will perform a thirty-second segmen of a song from the show, and 3) will dramatically interpret one of the one-minute monologues available on the Upstage Players website. It is not required for the monologue to be memorized.

Visit upstageplayers.org to view a list of characters, actor requirements for roles, and links to the audition routine choreography tutorial, audition song options, and audition monologues. Feel free to reach out to Melanie with questions about roles, show requirements, etc.

This summer, when Singin’ in the Rain hits the stage, audiences will be transported back to a time when the transition is being made from silent films to `talkies.’ Everyone is having trouble adapting. Don Lockwood and Lina Lamont, the era’s leading romantic couple, are hit hard when their production crew wants to make talkies as well. When their latest film is remade into a musical, only Don has the voice for the new singing part. After a lot of practice with a diction coach, Lina still sounds terrible. Enter Kathy Selden, a bright young aspiring actress. Will she steal Lina’s lines and her love? Find out in Singin’ in the Rain.

Rehearsals are Sunday from 3-5:30 p.m., and Mondays and Thursdays from 6-8:30 p.m. at the Upsala High School. A tentative rehearsal schedule is available at upstageplayers.org. This schedule is subject to shift (minimally) due to actor availability.

Dispose of Hazardous Products in Your Home for Free

Stearns County’s Household Hazardous Waste mobile collection unit will soon begin its spring/summer collections. The unit travels to cities around Stearns County collecting hazardous products homeowners no longer want.

The unit will stop at the following local locations:

Wednesday, May 24: Melrose Fire and Ambulance Station, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

Wednesday, Aug. 2: Sauk Centre Hockey Arena, 10 a.m.-2:00 p.m.

Wednesday, Aug. 16: Holdingford School, 9:30-11:30 a.m.

Wednesday, Aug. 16: Albany Our Savior Lutheran Church, 1-3:00 p.m.

Wednesday, Aug. 23: Greenwald Rec Building, 9:30-11:30 a.m.

Wednesday, Aug. 23: Eden Valley Public Works, 1-3:00 p.m.

Saturday, Sept. 9: Foley Benton County Public Works, 7 a.m.- 2:00 p.m.

Saturday, Sept. 23: Kimball A.M. Maus and Sons, 8-11:00 a.m.

This is a chance for residents to get rid of all those unsafe or nuisance products lying around the house such as paints, stains, fluorescent bulbs, car seats, pesticides, cleaners, batteries, old ammunition, lead tackle, Christmas lights, sharps, poisons, roofing tar, fuels, automotive fluids, sealers, garden chemicals, pool chemicals, adhesives, aerosols, solvents, mothballs, mercury, and more. Products can be disposed of at no charge.

Items that cannot be accepted through the Household Hazardous Waste Program include used motor oil, antifreeze, explosives, furniture, household garbage, tires, medical waste, appliances, or any other unknown products. Also not accepted is business waste. These collections are designed to collect home, not business, products.

Not sure what to do with an item? Use Stearns County’s Waste Wizard app. Search the product of interest and it will tell you how to get rid of it, give local options for quick and easy disposal, and even provide direction to a facility. Either download the Stearns County Waste Wizard App or go to the Stearns County website at stearnscountymn. gov/682.

For those who cannot make one of the scheduled mobile collection times, the Household Hazardous Waste Facility located at 3601 5th Street South in Waite Park accepts products year-round. That facility is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m.-4:15 p.m. along with the second and third Saturdays of each month from 8:00 a.m. – noon. The drop-off is 100% hands-free for the customer. Simply pull into the drop-off bay and staff will remove all the items from the rear of your vehicle. Information on the Household Hazardous Waste facility and mobile unit can be found on the Stearns County web site at stearnscountymn.gov.