Due to the coming winter and the impediments of working in snow, the Tofte Town Board decided to delay work on the new skating rink and warming house until next spring.
“We would like to see the [current] skating rink open this winter,” said Supervisor D.C. Olsen, who added, “There would also be a lot of extra expense if they build it [a new rink] in the winter.”
Town Board Chair Paul James agreed with Olsen, as did Supervisor Jim King. The new rink and warming house will be located where the current rink and warming house are now situated, however both would be larger than what they replace.
Money to upgrade the rink facilities is coming from the county’s 1 Percent Recreation and Infrastructure Tax.
The cost for the project is estimated at $150,000; $100,000 for the warming house and $50,000 for the rink and boards.
Reimbursement for township personnel to be reviewed
In other matters Fire Chief Rich Nelson said that the fire department’s new hoses and nozzles were in and, “We have enough to outfit all three trucks twice.”
Nelson said that the equipment cost $27,000 and was purchased through a FEMA grant. “It cost the town between $70 and $100 to get this equipment. We were very fortunate with the FEMA grant. I have a suggestion about what to do with the extra hose. Maybe we could donate it to another department or departments who could use it?”
After briefly mulling over Nelson’s suggestion the board agreed to have Nelson put out the word that Tofte had some extra fire hose that they would donate to a needy volunteer fire department.
Supervisor King brought the matter of how firefighters, search & rescue squad workers and board members were compensated. He wondered if this should be reviewed in light of the fact that commitments made by people serving on these various groups seem to only increase every year.
Nelson said he had gone to 38 meetings last year and James said, “We used to do these [township meetings] in one hour and look, it’s 2½ hours into this meeting and we’re nowhere near done.”
King suggested getting a cross section of people to take a look at the matter. He asked Nelson to see if he could find two younger members from the fire department to serve on the committee and said Louise Trachta should appoint two younger members from EMS to the committee. Trachta was sick and could not attend the November 10 meeting.
King said he would find a couple of people from the community who weren’t on boards or squads to look into the matter. Currently Tofte firefighters receive $8 per meeting and $10 per call, said Nelson, adding that sometimes their training can take all day, so $8 doesn’t compensate much for their time.
The board agreed that a committee should look into King’s suggestion, but, as King said, “I’m not saying anything should be done. But with a comprehensive study we will know that what we are doing is right.”
Jeff Brett, with a low bid of $6,050, was selected to survey and lay out 189 plots in the Tofte cemetery. He can begin work June 1, 2012.
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