Fall Lake clerk Cheri DeBeltz opened the reorganizational meeting Wednesday with 15 Fall Lake Township residents in attendance. Craig Seliskar was designated as chair by new supervisor Hudson Kingston and supported by new supervisor Roger Murawski.
The Ely Echo was named as the legal publication for the township as was determined at the annual meeting. The legal designated posting locations will be the Ely Echo and the Town Hall bulletin board.
Frandsen Bank will continue as the township’s depository.
Wages for labor, office cleaning, transfer site attendant, and election judges will remain at $20 per hour. The annual meeting moderator will remain at $50 per hour.
Chairman and supervisors’ wages will remain at $300 per regular in-person meetings, but an increase for the clerk from $800 to $900 per meeting and treasurer from $650 to $800 per meeting were approved by the board. The deputy clerk wage will remain at $20 per hour.
The township has a new email address – [email protected]. All supervisors, clerk and treasurer will have a new email address.
Three changes were made to the regular meeting dates that fell on the first or second day of the month. The July, September and December meetings were changed to the second Wednesday of the month. All other regular meetings will be held on the first Wednesday of the month.
Snow plowing contractors will remain with Jeff Schulze and Phil Hegfors. A full list of contractors will be kept on file. They include Jeff Schulze and Phil Hegfors for general road maintenance. Also on file are Robinson Lake Trucking, Brian Seliskar, Aaron Leustek, Casey Peterson, and Starkman Asphalt & Paving.
Garbage collection and disposal will be done by Section 30 Disposal, with Lucky Boy serving the portable toilet at the transfer site.
Mileage for township related business is regulated by the IRS at $.725 per mile.
A resolution was approved establishing a policy for Compensation and Reimbursement of Town Officers for out-of-town meetings. This is to cover any travel, lodging, food, and other expenses for the township.
Assignments were made for supervisors to serve on the following committees:
• Morse/Fall Lake Fire – all three supervisors
• Ely Area Ambulance Board – Roger Murawski
• Ely Area Lodging Tax Board – Cindy Smyka. Smyka will also get a township email address.
• Ely Area Legislative Joint Powers – Hudson Kingston
• RAMS (Range Association of Municipalities and Schools) – Hudson Kingston with Roger Murawski as an alternate as needed
• Township road maintenance – Craig Seliskar
• Local Road Improvement Grant (LRIP) on Sunset Road – Craig Seliskar
• Ely/Kawishiwi Firewise partnership – Hudson Kingston • Township transfer site – Craig Seliskar
• Township building and grounds maintenance – Roger Murawski
• Community Center Board – Roger Murawski Transfer site attendant Dean Barrett said he and Doug Scheibe will be the main transfer site attendants, with Todd Garvey as a backup as needed.
The board approved the contract with the Ely Public Library for the $5,000 that was approved at the annual meeting by Fall Lake citizens.
The board received an update on the LRIP – Sunset Road from engineer Jeff Goetzman. The contract has been sent to Low Impact. The township agreement was passed and signed.
A Local Road Improvement Grant agreement was approved and signed.
Seliskar said collapsed culvert on Sunset Road will be replaced.
Jason Chopp of SEH addressed the board about putting a capital improvement project proposal together. He said he could look at all township roads and prioritize a list that needed attention. Chopp said with looking at four primary roads the proposal would cost $7,000$10,000. The board tabled any further decision until after their road inspection on May 4. Seliskar said grading of township roads will be done soon.
Lake County Commissioner Joe Baltich, who serves on the Ely Area Ambulance Service board, said the ambulance is doing better than most in other areas. He said the ambulance board has switched its billing company which has made a big difference.
“It is amazing how fast our ambulance responses to calls,” said Baltich. “We have 23 employees and a total of three ambulance with the new ambulance recently purchased. Also, there will be an addition to the ambulance building.”
On the Community Center committee update, a summary was submitted to IRRRB and a person to contact will be determined.
Kingston and Murawski both expressed that they were happy to serve the community, and that they had a lot to learn as new supervisors to the board.
In correspondence:
• Received information from RAMS that the Minnesota broadband line extension program is now open.
• Received an invite to the Lake County Chamber of Commerce annual spring gala on April 23 at Superior Shores Resort.
• Received the annual scholarship notice from Range Cooperatives.
• Received the North Shore roadway network resilience study.
• Received information on the RAMS Lobby Day at the State Capitol.
• Received information on the Mesabi Metallics day at the State Capitol.
• A thank you was received from the Wognum family for flowers sent.
• A list of dates was received for the rescheduling of Minnesota Association of Townships short courses due to the recent cancellation.
• A request for recreation fund was received from Northeast Range/Ely Golf. $400 was approved.
• The next Morse/Fall Lake Fire meeting will be held at Morse Townhall on Wednesday, April 15 at 6 p.m.
• The next regular Fall Lake Township meeting will be held on Tuesday, May 6 at 6 p.m.
• The Local Board of Appeal & Equalization meeting will be held on Thursday, May 7 at 1 p.m.
• The Lake County board of Commissioners Committee of the Whole will be held on Tuesday, June 16 at 6 p.m.
