Alison Oftedahl

Discussions covered several operational areas. Under Road & Safety, the Board addressed chains for garage doors, agreeing to seek an electrical inspector's opinion on an alternative generator routing. The Alger Grade Tree Removal required agreement for an individual to speak with Nate Eide regarding tree placement relative to the Town's right-of-way. Sewer Operations involved a report on flow recalculations and acceptance of the Wastewater Operator's Report. The Board also discussed difficulties in classifying residential accounts changing to commercial usage and approved a $10,000 transfer from the Sewer Enterprise Replacement Fund to cover a negative balance in the Sewer Enterprise Fund. For Facilities, Resolution 2025-9 was adopted, establishing a Citizen's Working Committee for the Old Town Hall Restoration Project, followed by authorization to select the initial committee members. A fund transfer to establish the General Capital Projects Fund for January 1, 2026, was approved. During Old Business, Resolution 2025-10 was adopted, authorizing employee use of benefit time to supplement Minnesota Paid Leave payments. New Business included rejecting current mowing quotes and adopting the 2026 Board Meeting Schedule, as well as designating polling locations and hours for the 2026 Township Election.

Key discussions included road and safety issues, such as ordering replacement mailbox posts due to damage, agreeing to sell sand and asphalt chip material to the City of Beaver Bay for a water line issue, and confirming that a generator system is necessary for the garage to meet commercial electrical inspection standards. Tree removal quotes for the Alger Grade were solicited, pending Supervisor Hoops' findings. General sewer operations reviews involved discussing service calls, the operator's request for an electronic rain gauge, and exploring the investment of replacement fund proceeds into a bank CD. Bids for sewer mowing were reviewed. Facility discussions covered 2026 cemetery rates and mowing bids. For the Hall Restoration Project, committee appointments were finalized, and compensation rates for the Secretary and Deputy Clerk handling related tasks were considered. For the Stewart River Wastewater Project, progress on the user agreement was reported, and the potential inclusion of the local school on the system was noted, prompting plans for lobbying efforts. New business included approving the Deputy Clerk to start developing a Town Facebook account, pending decisions on the 2026 mileage rate and employee COLA raises.

The meeting addressed concerns about a neighbor encroaching on a road right-of-way with a burn pile. The board approved the 2025-6 Snowplow Policy. The Wastewater Operator's Report was accepted. The board discussed the lift station 1 and grease problem, and residential accounts changing to commercial. The Old Hall Project was discussed, including land purchase, development of a working committee, use of the Capital Project Fund, and the Bollig Pre-Design Task. The Two Harbors User Agreement for the Stewart River Sewer was reviewed. The board discussed pavement resurfacing project on Highway 2, a request for a Township Representative to fill an open position on the ARDC commission, and the North Shore Management Plan. Reimbursement was authorized for expenses incurred at the MAT Annual Meeting. The board also discussed mowing quotes, insurance comparison, and MN Paid Leave.

The Board of Supervisors met to discuss the formation of a citizen subcommittee for the Old Hall Restoration Project. The purpose of the subcommittee is to foster a greater sense of community by organizing events and assisting in the design and planning of the renovation and new addition. The board will appoint six people based upon diversity of expertise, geographical representation, and a balance of genders and ages. An architect presented photos of buildings, rooms, playgrounds, and patios to gather input on design preferences, noting recurrent themes of natural light, safety, and vernacular design.

The Committee of the Whole Meeting addressed various issues, including road maintenance and safety concerns such as plowing, truck repairs, and tree removal along Alger Grade. Discussions also covered sewer operations, including grease issues, GIS grant reporting, and potential fund transfers. The Old Town Hall project was reviewed, with updates on grant funds and the selection of citizen committee members. Additionally, the Stewart River Wastewater Project was discussed, along with correspondence items and new business such as mowing quotes and the approval of the 2026 Board Meeting Schedule.