Lutsen Trailbreakers members Larry McNealy (left) and Scott Platzer made a presentation about the need for funding to repair this snowmobile trail bridge at the township annual meeting in March. Community members voted to approve $10,000 for the club. The Trailbreakers returned to the following week’s meeting to accept the check. The previous bridge was built by the club in 1983.
The question of who should be responsible for a bill of $436.11 for legal advice regarding the Lutsen Cemetery was discussed again at the March 18, 2014 Lutsen Town Meeting.
A motion passed at the February town meeting to take the money for the legal bill from the cemetery fund when Supervisor Ginny Storlie was not in attendance. Storlie asked her board colleagues to reconsider that motion. Storlie said she found the name of the attorney she consulted with her cemetery question in the Minnesota Association of Township (MAT) handbook, so she assumed the township would not be charged for the advice.
Deputy Clerk Amity Goettl, who won the town clerk seat in the March 11 township election, said there is a list of attorneys who provide free legal advice to townships on the MAT website.
Storlie acknowledged that she should have asked if there would be a charge for legal services. “But I still feel that as a supervisor, we are tasked with delving into things. I still feel we should pay this bill. It may have been my error, but I don’t think the cemetery should have to pay,” said Storlie.
Supervisor Tim Goettl, who seconded the motion to charge the amount to the cemetery in February, said he could see how the mistake could be made. “It’s a learning experience for everybody and it’s only $436. I say next time we have something like this, we make sure we use the free attorney services,” said Goettl, making a motion to pay the bill out of township surplus funds.
The motion passed with Supervisor Marland Hansen absent.
Fire and rescue reports
Fire Chief Paul Goettl gave a report on fire department activities. He said the fire department had ordered a 6,500-watt generator for the fire support trailer. He said the good thing about having the generator is that it could also be used at the town hall in an emergency.
EMS Chief Fred Schmidt reported that the Lutsen First Responders had answered 11 calls in the first quarter of the year. He said Lutsen now has four new First Responders. “They got their licenses after completing a 40-hour class,” he said.
Schmidt asked for authorization to sell a pickup cargo slide-out. The slide-out is meant to hold supplies, but Schmidt said it gets in the way and is extremely heavy to move in and out of the rescue vehicle. The board agreed the rescue squad should sell it if it doesn’t meet the department’s needs, but asked about the process for selling something that belongs to the township/ rescue squad.
Treasurer John Groth said normally the township offers it for sale in-house. If it doesn’t sell, then it could be advertised to others. Supervisor Storlie asked what the slide-out was worth. Supervisor Goettl said the township paid $1,500 for it and had used it for about three years. He suggested asking $500. The board agreed and EMS Chief Schmidt will let people know it is up for sale.
Schmidt also presented the town board with a binder of EMS standard operating procedures (SOP) and patient protocol guidelines. He said there are two copies, one for the fire department files and one for the supervisors.
In other business
. Deputy Clerk Goettl said the town had received a property evaluation report from Overland Survey. The evaluation had been completed for the Minnesota Association of Townships (MAT), through which the township gets it insurance. Goettl said the town board now needs to decide whether its insurance policy should be for replacement or agreed value.
The town board agreed to look over the review and make a decision at its next meeting.
. As discussed and approved at the township annual meeting, supervisors passed a motion to grant the Lutsen Trailbreakers $10,000 to be used toward a snowmobile bridge repair. The board commended the snowmobile club representatives Larry McNealy and Scott Platzer for doing their homework before requesting the funding and for keeping 52 miles of trails open for snowmobilers.
. Treasurer John Groth gave a financial report explaining that the township had total assets of $255,108.73, which includes $119,312.91 in the business checking account; $20,075.43 in the township building fund; and $115,720.39 in the Lutsen Fire/First Responders truck fund.
. Supervisor Storlie said she would be attending training for the Board of Appeals and Equalization. Someone on the town board must have this training for the Board of Appeals to be held in Lutsen. Supervisor Marland Hansen was the board member who had this training. “I’ll go and learn what I can,” said Storlie.
. The township approved the transfer of a 3.2 liquor license from Paul Goettl of Clearview General Store to Gail Thompson who is purchasing the store. The transfer was contingent on completion of the sale.
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