Sand Creek Township

Monthly Meeting at MVEC

September 7^th, 2017

Officers Present

Chairman Chad Sandey, Supervisors Bruce Hunstad and Bill Schneider, Treasurer Michelle Rutoski, and Clerk Shelley Pauly.

Others Present

Scott County Patrol Deputy Kes, Curt Hennes, Leslie Whitehair, Herb Baldwin, Travis Cherro, Kyle Renneke, Mike Kahn, Gerhard Will, Edward Will, Bill Scott, Jim and Jane Donna, Joe Wagner, Chad Bohnsack, Bob Wolf and Barb Weckman Brekke.

Called to Order

The regular monthly meeting was called to order at 7:03 pm by Chairman Chad Sandey. The Pledge of Allegiance was said.

Minutes

Minutes for the July meeting were presented to the Board. Motion to approve the minutes by Bruce, second by Bill. Unanimous. Motion to erase the July recording of minutes by Chad, second by Bruce. Unanimous.

Treasurer’s Report: Treasurer’s Report was submitted by Michelle. Motion to accept the report by Bruce, second by Bill. Unanimous.

Monthly Claims

Northern Salt - Dustcoating $ 26,172.50

Bryan Rock $ 133.32

Stantec $ 4,305.83

Dvorak Excavating, Inc $ 21,997.50

Shelley Pauly – Township Cell/Mileage Reimbursement $ 106.57

Shooting Star Native Seeds $ 987.86

Hancock Concrete Products $ 2,576.54

Payroll $ 575.00

Payroll $ 425.00

Payroll $ 1,050.00

Bill Schneider - Mileage Reimbursement $ 215.74

Payroll $ 870.00

Carr’s Tree $ 27,000.00

Payroll $ 225.00

Rachel Contracting $ 59,711.68

Total $146,352.54

Motion by Bruce to accept the monthly charges as read, second by Bill. Unanimous.

Public Comment –. No comments

BUSINESS/DISCUSSION:

Sheriff’s Department –

Deputy Kes spoke to the township. He said there was a total of 52 incidents for the month of August. Deputy reminded everyone that school is in session again and everyone needs to be aware of the laws to stop when the bar on the bus is out. Traffic needs to stop both ways.

Prior Lake Spring Lake Watershed District –

Curt informed the board that the work has not yet started at Spring Lake Public Access. This work is being done by the DNR so he is unsure of a starting date. Next project for the Prior Lake Spring Lake Watershed District is to get a meeting organized with property owners on Sutton Lake to inform them the PLSPWD would like to put up a control structure to slow down and capture water for a couple weeks in the spring. This would hopefully protect the property owners on lower Prior Lake from flooding and should have no real impact on Sutton Lake. Another project they are working on is tracking carp to locate a larger school to remove them from the lake.

Long Range Planning Committee

Herb acknowledged the fact that the Committee is fortunate to have people like Bill Scott come and help with his professional ideas on the subjects the township is dealing with. There is a big concern regarding preserving the land as it is. The solar gardens are an example of a situation that has changed the look of 282. Herb mentioned that Brad Davis will be attending the next LRP meeting. Bruce asked Herb if Brad would be speaking for the full meeting or could we invite Kyle from Stantec to also talk on how the 169-corridor project will also affect the township. They agreed to have both presenters for next month’s meeting. Minutes from the last meeting are posted on our website.

Leslie Whitehair

The board tabled the application for the CUP from Lisa from last month, asking for a month to review all the information. Leslie has forwarded more information to the board during the month for them to read over. She went over the additional information the board requested and the updated drainage design. Much of the land is currently being cleared for pasture land. She also apologized to the Donna’s for not alerting them that the clearing process was beginning. Chad wanted to be sure that the water drainage is an item that will need to be closely monitored. Bill asked Joe Wagner if he sees any reason to be concerned regarding the water drainage down to the apple orchard and Joe did not seem to believe it would be a concern. Leslie said the county is in approval of all the plans and are just waiting for the recommendation form from the township.

Jim and Jane Donna – Questions on Leslie Whitehair’s Personal Riding Arena

Jim Donna spoke to the board regarding the challenges they have been having with the ground clearing and large equipment close to their property. Their concerns started one morning when they heard loud noises and witnessed trees falling onto their property. The property had not been properly marked before the work started. The Donnas have since had the property marked with posts. They have requested the equipment and the contractor not cross the property line at any time. Jim also questioned the location of the Manure Bunker. It is only 150 feet from their house. Listed below are the concerns the Donnas would like stated in the minutes and on the recommendation form the township sends to the county. Joe Wagner also spoke regarding the use of the riding arena. His wants to make sure that the property can only be used for a Riding Arena and nothing else, even if the property is sold. The water is not a big concern of his now. Bruce asked Leslie if she would consider moving the Manure Bunker and she agreed to consider moving it. She has no intention of using the property for any other reasons.

Jim and Jane Donna – Questions on Leslie Whitehair’s Personal Riding Arena, con’t

A motion made by Chad to approve the CUP Application for Leslie Whitehair at 3471 West 173^rd Street in Jordan with the conditions listed below: motion was seconded by Bruce, Unanimous

1. Relocate the Manure Bunker to the west side of the Arena. Right now, it is shown to be built very close to the Donna home.

2. Require a pond overflow swale to the 173^rd ditch.

3. CUP is voided if any commercial use of property is discovered ie: public riding, public boarding, or public storage.

4. Any new property owner is required to reapply for the CUP

5. Closely adhere to Soil Water Control District representative’s suggestions to erosion control measures’

Mike Kahn - 18520 Valleyview Drive

Mike has concerns regarding the flooding that occurred off Mendoza road to his property during the last rain fall of 2.5 inches. Mike believes the flooding is due to the blacktop that was just put in for Jordan Transformers. He talked to Kipp from Jordan Transformers, and Kipp was going to contact the city to see if they could remove a driveway on Jordan Transformer’s property they do not use anymore to help reduce the runoff. He is basically asking the township’s advice on what his options are. Bruce has called the City of Jordan and they said they had not heard anything from Jordan Transformers and the City Administrator said he would ask the City Engineer to handle it. Chad is hopeful that the City will look at it and fix the situation. If it does not look like it is going to be dealt with, the township can assist in questioning the city to remedy the flooding.

Gary Will – 2030 Parks and Trails Expansion Plan

Gary has seen the parks and trails expansion plan from the county which includes a trail that would be going right through his property. This trail would include a 10-foot path plus 100 feet on each side of the trail as a buffer. Gary and his neighbors are not interested in giving up their farm land for the trail. He is wondering what they as residents can do to make sure this does not happen. Chad said he has read about it, but has not heard of any immediate plan to follow through with it now. Gary suggested to put it right along the county road. Bruce explained that the LRP Committee is hoping to emphasize to the county that we do not want to see farm land taken away from farmers and to have the county use the land that is already available to them for these improvements.

Stantec – Bluff Drive

Payment Request #2 – Kyle Renneke handed out the 2^nd payment request to the board and explained Bluff Drive is just about complete. This bill is for $59,711.68. Chad brought up the fact the actual costs were higher than some of the estimates. He wondered if these extra costs could be turned back into the county so the township could get compensated instead of the township paying for the additional charges. Kyle thought there certainly could be discussion between the three parties to come up with an agreement for payment. After discussion with the board, a motion was made by Bruce to pay Rachel Contracting the 2^nd installment of $59,711.68 for the work done on Bluff Drive, seconded by Bill, Unanimous. Bruce also asked when the warranty on this work goes into effect. Kyle said the warranty would normally begin when most of the work has been done which was probably about a month ago. The plan is to have the final bill available at next month’s meeting.

Stantec – Frontage Roads and Alignments

Kyle presented the board with the 1^st opportunities and issues map for the 169-corridor project. Kyle went over the map with the board. The board will use this map as a tool with the County and State meetings. The board contracted with Stantec to help the township plan for this project. Mark and Kyle from Stantec will also be attending the LRP Committee to discuss this map.

Highway 282 – Speed Limit

The township received notice from MN Dot that the speed limit will be changing on Highway 282 to 60 miles per hour this fall.

Akers Lane – Landowner Concerns

A culvert on Akers Lane needed replacing due to issues with it. The township did some major work on this road and will now be planting a cover crop and following up with a dormant seeding at the right time in the fall. A landowner was upset that the project has taken so long and Chad talked to him and assured him that we were on top of it and the project would be completed within a week or so.

Solar Garden Update:

All panels have been install and the fencing is 75 to 95 percent complete. The interior interconnect poles have been installed. Excel is now upgrading the utility poles along 282 into the town of Jordan to the substation. Within the next couple weeks, the internal and front poles should be connected. The plan is to have everything ready to go by November 1^st.

Bruce Hunstad: Bruce attended the meeting with Stantec regarding the 1^st iteration of the map.

Bill Schneider: Bill is now on the Scott County Weed Committee and will be attending their meetings. Also attend the District 4 meeting with Chad.

Road Report by Bill Schneider:

Now is the time of the year to start grading through the dust coating to get the roads ready for winter

Bill also found18 tires and 19 mattresses in the ditches. The good thing was he only had to pay to dispose of 12.

He also had a meeting with DemCon regarding the shingle and gravel mixture for roads and in the process of locating roads that are good candidates to try this mix on them again in the spring. This mix lasts longer, cuts down on dust coating and reduces the wash boarding of the road.

Chad Sandey:

Chad attended the District 4 meeting in Farmington and stated this meeting is always a good meeting to get information from other counties and townships.

Hentges Gravel appeal court date is September 27^th at 9:30 am. Commissioner Brekke informed the group that this appeal is to decide whether the county followed the law in making the decision on the mine. It is not to decide if the mine should be approved. The court hears both sides and a decision is made. There is no time for people to respond.

Motion to adjourn meeting at 10:05 pm by Bill, second by Bruce. Unanimous.

Submitted By: _____________________________________________________

Shelley Pauly, Clerk

Approved by ______________________________________________________

Chairman, Chad Sandey