Chairman Mike McCullen called the meeting to order at 7:30 p.m. with the Pledge of Allegiance. Also present: Supervisors Glen Williamson and Alden Shute, Treasurer Patrice Winfield, Clerk Paul Raymond, Road Manager Alden Shute, Jim Bredesen, Steve Menth, and Mark Schultz from Anderson Acres Road.

Clerk’s Report of June 7 Board Meeting. Glen said he resigned as webmaster, not as web moderator. With this correction, Alden moved to approve; Glen seconded; passed.

Road Report: The culvert extension was done on Eagle Head Road and the pipe opening is 6 – 8 feet underwater, too deep for beavers to block it. He didn’t charge for his time but shot and killed 4 beavers. Alden said he wants to regrade and shape up Tamarack Pine Drive at least twice more before we put down red-rock gravel. He repaired three frost boils on Crooked Lake Road. He graded the east and west roads and Crooked Lake and Eagle Head Roads.

State, County, and Township December Storm Road Emergency: Mike cleared Lost River Road. Duane has started clearing trees that were leaning or on the right-of-way on other roads and we should be billed by Summerland and Hopkins for work they did. Alden said that Hopkins can use their backhoe on River Cabin Road to cut off the leaning trees and they will haul all the debris to Alden’s gravel pit..

OLD BUSINESS: Town Park Sign: The carved wood signs are too expensive but Security Sign can make one 3 feet by 1 foot for $70 with ‘Wilma Town Park’ printed. Glen moved that we buy the sign and have it blue with white lettering. Alden seconded; passed.

Plans for Park: Steve asked if the town board has any plans for the development or use for the park. He’d like to see an area cleared and access created so people can have picnics there. Mike said we could have a liability problem and Paul should contact MATIT who covers our liability insurance to make sure it covers the park. Mark Schultz said that any liability for the town should cover all town properties.

ECE Fiber-Optic Broadband for Wilma: ECE has started stranding and laying fiber-optic cable in the project for our county and they encourage people to sign up now. $65/month for 100 Mbps; no installation fee. The more who sign up in an area the more likely they will be served sooner. Apply at ecefiber.com. Mike said they have 136 crews working on the cable and are making fast progress.

Plow Display: Paul trimmed the branches and trees on the road blocking the view of the plow display. Mike said he will cut two or more branches that are still obstructing the view along with a dead tree. Alden asked how the board wants the plows aligned. He will turn the pointed plow around so it’s facing the driveway.

NEW BUSINESS: Employee Payroll Claims: Alden moved that all payroll claims for employee payroll (everything not directly board related) be given to Patrice by the Friday before the next Wednesday board meeting in order to be paid at the meeting. Glen seconded; passed.

Bob Ruppe Legal Advice: Bob wrote: “I spoke to Mike Couri and we both agree that we grant the Township a one-time waiver of the $312.50 invoice relating to the compatibility of offices matter.” [The board had no record of what was said in Glen’s phone consultation so Paul requested a written opinion for the $625 we paid. He charged us but then forgave the fee.] He said, “I am concerned that it appears that your Town Board may be divided on some issues and that my office may be contacted by various Town Board members regarding the same matter.  We will respond to any Town Board member who contacts us regarding legal matters before the Town Board and this will require my office to invoice the Township for our time.  The Town Board may wish to discuss who has the authority to contact my office on behalf of the Township.  My office will honor any restrictions adopted by the Town Board.” Glen moved that any supervisor be allowed to call the attorneys but that they must tell them to cap the consultation at $1,000 and they must give a written opinion for the whole board. Alden seconded; passed.

Federated Propane Summer Fill: Mike checked the tank and we are still at 70% so he said we can wait for the prebuy. Patrice said we still have $480 in our last prebuy.

Couri&Ruppe Legal Seminar: Will be Saturday, September 16 in Rutledge, 9-4. They will answer all legal questions for free.

Two Creeks Float and CDRCD Appointment: Glen said the float for Two Creeks Campground won 3rd place of all the floats at the Finlayson Fourth of July Parade yesterday. He also was reappointed to the ECRDC RLF Board for the revolving loan fund. They have financed many community businesses and projects and have only had two defaults in their entire history.

Treasurer’s Report and Claims: Patrice gave the treasurer’s report. She was having computer problems last meeting and could not give a total for claims or transfers. The June totals were $5,188.49 and she transferred $5,200. For July, the total bills are $5,771.69 and she will transfer $5,800. Glen moved to approve her report and to transfer the funds Alden seconded. Passed.

Meeting adjourned at 8:45

Paul Raymond, Clerk

Chairman Mike McCullen called the meeting to order at 7:30 p.m. with the Pledge of Allegiance. Also present: Supervisors Glen Williamson and Alden Shute, Treasurer Patrice Winfield, Clerk Paul Raymond, Road Manager Alden Shute, Tracy Riley, Kim Felton, Jim Bredesen, Steve Menth, Kathleen Ackerman, Janet Egan, Cindy Klienschmidt, Christine Valley, and Dale Kirshberg.

Clerk’s Report of May 3 Board Meeting. Alden moved to approve; Mike seconded; passed.

Road Report: Alden graded Lost River Road, River Cabin Road, Mona Drive, North and South Duncan Roads, Schmedeke Lane, Fust Lane, Vink Road, McCullen Road, Tamarack Pine Drive, Dollar Lake Roads, some of them twice. He also did work on the range line roads, Crooked Lake and Eagle Head and Heller Drive and gave Paul the billing information. The culvert extension will done on Eagle Head road this Friday. He tried to inform Steve Grabau about the road closure and he posted a sign it will be closed June 9. Alden said he wants to regrade and shape up Tamarack Pine Drive before we put down red-rock gravel.

Road Inspection Meeting: Was Monday, May 22, and the report is online. Major project for 2023 will be re-graveling Tamarack Pine Drive with redrock gravel. There are beaver abatement issues on Eagle Head Road and Heller Drive.

State, County and Township Road Emergency: Mike and Duane have started clearing trees that were leaning or on the right-of-way. During the road inspection meeting, the board moved to purchase an electric chainsaw and pole saw and extra batteries. Mike was able to get it all for $829. All claims need to be on employee claim forms with the STORM designation so we can submit them to the county. Alden moved and Glen seconded to have Hopkins use their bobcat and trailer to pick up all the debris and dump it in his gravel pit so we don’t need to rent a chipper.

Reimbursment Rate for Private Equipment: During the road inspection the board voted to reimburse personal use of equipment like chainsaws at $10/hour.

OLD BUSINESS: Fire Hall Light: At the April meeting, Mike moved that we have Ervin Kleinschmidt purchase and install a motion-sensitive solar powered light facing east on the hall. Erv bought and installed it but does not want to be an employee, so the fire department can pay him for the labor.

Town Park Sign: Erv checked on prices for a sign on the park (the 36 acres behind and west of the Eagle Head Fire Station), identifying it as the Wilma Town Park, with boundary markers. A carved wooden sign like the DNR uses for state forests costs over $700 for cedar, $500 for pine. Cindy said Erv will check on alternatives.

ECE Fiber-Optic Broadband for Wilma: Patrice got an email saying that ECE has started stranding and laying fiber-optic cable in the project for our county. Mike said it may be two years before it reaches us.

Plow Display: Discussion on removing all the trees along the road in front of the hall to make the plow display visible. Patrice said we only need to trim all the low branches and it will be easily seen. Paul said that she is a genius and Alden said that’s why she is paid the big bucks. Paul will do it when he mows.

NEW BUSINESS: At the May 3 meeting Glen presented a resolution [“Resolution to Request Michael McCullen Resign Either as Chief of DVFD or as Supervisor Because Such Positions Could be Deemed an Incompatability of Offices.”] Glen said that four of the five attorneys he contacted (Bob Ruppe, Steve Fenske, Graham Berg-Moberg, Reese Frederickson, and Kevin Hofstad) believe that the two positions are or may be incompatible or at the least a conflict of interest. Mike resigned as Fire Chief.

Mike contacted the attorneys and got a different answer from all of them. Kevin Hofstad: “That is not directly applicable here as a municipal fire department is not the same as an independent, nonprofit fire department.” Reese Frederickson: “My thoughts are that this might not be an incompatible office because the fire department is not a public one, but a non-profit.” Robert Ruppe: “It is my opinion that given these facts, the position of Fire Chief of the Fire Department is not an incompatible office with that of Township Supervisor.” Steve Fenske: “Strictly speaking, the cases and law on incompatibilities and conflicts of interest do not fit well with the situation posed by your township. The situation may not amount to incompatibility or conflict.” All of the attorneys agreed that there could be conflict of interest issues: Reese Frederickson: “Just because there may be a conflict of interest (and I’m not saying that there is or is not one here), it does not mean a person has to resign.  It means the person must determine if there is such a conflict, and then take appropriate measures such as abstaining from voting or abstaining from discussion of the contract.” Wilma has several layers of protection for conflict of interest issues: A Resolution of Interest, Affadavits of Interest, and the Supervisor abstaining from the discussion and vote on the contract or issue.

Mike presented a resolution, “A RESOLUTION TO CENSURE SUPERVISOR GLEN WILLIAMSON FOR A FALSE AND MISLEADING ALLEGATION AND RESOLUTION,” asking the board to acknowledge that the two offices are not incompatible and asking Glen to apologize to Mike and to the township for months of conflict and disagreement leading up to Mike thinking he had to resign either as Supervisor or as fire chief. Glen insisted that his resolution merely said “could be deemed,” and Alden did not have to vote for it, and Mike did sign it, and he said clearly that four of the five attorneys he contacted agreed with him, not all. Mike said he thought he had to sign it as Chair once the board approved it, but that Steve Fenske told him today in an hour-long call that he did not and should not have signed it. Alden said he only voted for Glen’s resolution because he was sick of months and months of conflict during board meetings where citizens were allowed to discuss fire department issues which had no business in board meetings. Patrice said that is because Glen was chair and he allowed it. Mike said he hated that our meetings spent so much time on fire department issues and all the anger and shouting, and that he ran for Chair just to end all fire department discussions in board meetings, and he will not permit any in the future. Mike moved to adopt the resolution but there was no second.

Couri&Ruppe Legal Seminar: Will be Saturday, September 16 in Rutledge, 9-4. They will answer all legal questions for free.

Wilmatownship.com: It was on the agenda to vote to approve Wilmatownship.com website for another year. The claim was submitted and paid without a vote in April. Glen said just by submitting the claim and Mike and Alden signing the cover sheet of claims made the renewal legal and effective without a board vote. Mike said they don’t have time to look at every claim; Patrice said the board needs to take the time to study each claim. Glen said it doesn’t matter, he is resigning as moderator of the Wilmatownship.com website effective tonight. Mike said we have at least one more year since the board did sign the contract in the April meeting and paid Aspire $400, which will give the board time to find another host and Paul will continue to post township records. Glen had said that the domain name, Wilmatownship.com belongs to the town, not to him.

Garbage Board Representative: Glen said he is also resigning as the Wilma representative on the garbage board. They meet every other month in the Wilma Town Hall. Glen nominated Alden to serve; Mike seconded. Passed. Paul said if Alden needs him to heat the hall on meeting nights, to let him know. Alden said he can do it.

2022 Wilma Township Population: April 1, 2022, population 73; households 37.

Couri&Ruppe Legal Seminar: Saturday, September 16 in Rutledge, 9-4.

Treasurer’s Report and Claims: Patrice gave the treasurer’s report. She was having computer problems and could not give a total for claims or transfer. Glen moved to approve her report and to transfer the funds when she knows how much. Alden seconded. Passed.

Patrice said it is so difficult and complicated to have three different payrolls: board pay, employee pay (for work not board related) and Storm Damage employee pay she asked if she could pay employees at the next month’s board meeting. No motion or vote, but Patrice said she will have to do this. Even if some board members got their claims into her a week early, it wouildn’t help because she has to do all the payroll at the same time. This does not appply to contractors like Duane Glienke.

Meeting adjourned at 10:10.

Paul Raymond, Clerk