June 2023
REGULAR MONTHLY BOARD MEETING
OF THE SUPERVISORS OF THE TOWN OF MORSE HELD ON
June 13, 2023
At 5:00 p.m. on June 13, 2023 at the Morse Town Hall, Chairman Len Cersine called a regular meeting of the Supervisors of the Town of Morse to order with the following present: Supervisor Bob Berrini, Supervisor Terry Soderberg, Supervisor Len Cersine, Clerk Nick Wognum, Treasurer Mary Ann Lekatz, Larry and Joy Gotchnik, Butch Pecha, Caty Clark.
The Pledge of Allegiance was recited.
The minutes of the May 9, 2023 meeting and the Road Inspection of May 23 were reviewed.
A motion was made by Soderberg, seconded by Berrini to approve the minutes of the May 9, 2023 meeting and the Road Inspection on May 23, 2023. Motion carried.
Larry Gotchnik of 1347 Winton Road came to talk about a Conditional Use Permit for the property adjacent to him at 1385 Winton Road owned by Elizabeth Chapman. He said there were 11 dog houses put in there and 11 sled dogs were put in, chained to each house. She also has three domestic dogs for a total of 14. Larry said it isn’t the number of dogs but the noise they make, barking and howling and all hours of the day even three o’clock in the morning. Larry talked to St. Louis County and submitted a complaint. She has 4.3 acres and by ordinance 62 the most she can have is five dogs. He said she has shown no consideration or respect to the neighbors and hasn’t even introduced herself. Larry said it is even worse in the summer trying to sleep with the windows open and hearing the dogs barking. He asked for the township’s support in denying the application. If I put an electronic bullhorn on my house and blasted it to her house she would call the sheriff said Larry. He said the neighbors haven’t been notified. Larry said he reached out to Commissioner Paul McDonald who told him he isn’t on the committee. Soderberg asked him to send a letter to St. Louis County. The hearing is July 13. Gotchnik said he is also concerned about the impact to his market value with the dogs there. Len said another problem is when one group of dogs start barking it can create a response from other dogs within hearing distance.
A motion was made by Soderberg, seconded by Berrini to pass the following :
Whereas, a Conditional Use Permit application has been filed with St. Louis County for parcel 465-0020-03306 by Elizabeth Chapman of 13385 Winton Road; and
Whereas, the Town of Morse Board of Supervisors reviewed the Conditional Use Permit application and found it to be incomplete as to the number of dogs currently on the property and how many additional dogs would be permitted;
Whereas, the Town of Morse board has heard from adjoining and nearby property owners who have all opposed the Conditional Use Permit due to sound impacts from animal noise, the small size of the property and the reduction in values of their property due to a dog kennel being located close by;
Therefore, the Town of Morse board of supervisors requests that the Conditional Use Permit for parcel 465-0020-03306 be rejected and the property owner informed of the restrictions on the number of dogs allowed per Ordinance 62.
The resolution was approved by unanimous vote with Supervisors Terry Soderberg, Bob Berrini and Len Cersine all voting in favor on June 13, 2023.
Motion carried.
Pecha said there are problems with the brakes on the grader and a new compressor is needed at a cost of around $2,000 for a remanufactured unit. The board approved the purchase.
He also said in three to four weeks TNT, a crushing operation, will be at Swanson’s pit.
A motion was made by Soderberg, seconded by Berrini to approve spending up to $25,000 for class five gravel for township roads. Motion carried.
Butch said in regard to the Road Inspection most of the work has already been done. He said a culvert is needed to replace a short one on Schaeffer Road.
Cersine said Pine Street, Sotlitch and one other are being considered for chloride this year.
There was discussion on the Lookout Ridge Road and people accessing the old dump at all hours of the day and night. Soderberg will talk to the affected property owner and Harold Langowski.
Lekatz presented claims 16438 to 16470 for $34,041.80. Claim 16459 for $1,053 for county and MAT dues
A motion was made by Soderberg, seconded by Berrini to approve the claims as presented. Motion carried.
Lekatz said there were no receipts.
Berrini said it’s been six years and still nothing has happened with the annexation with the city.
Morse parcels on the Taconite Trail – Wognum will set up a meeting with the DNR now that the legislation session is over.
Berrini said he spoke to Paul McDonald about the county parcels off of Twin Lakes Road and putting them up for sale. These would need to be 10 acre parcels with a likely value of $50,000 to $60,000. Berrini asked that a letter be sent to McDonald.
Isaac Olson has not heard anything on the broadband application from Treehouse Broadband.
Berrini said the Ambulance Joint Powers Board is looking at $15.15 per person. He said that would raise around $90,000 with the hospital contribution of 20 percent equal to about $18,000. Berrini said the $25,000 budgeted by Morse will be more than enough. Berrini said the EAAS will be audited in July. He said it’s never been audited so it’s been about time and if they’ve done something wrong they can make it better. Soderberg said it will put some people’s minds at ease.
A motion was made by Soderberg, seconded by Berrini to approve the Management Agreement with the Ely Golf Club. Motion carried.
A motion was made by Soderberg, seconded by Berrini to approve $500 for the Fourth of July donation. Motion carried.
Soderberg will be on hand Thursday for an insurance inspection with the Minnesota Association of Townships Insurance Trust at 9 a.m.
Pecha said a letter needs to be sent to Tim Anderson for donating and mounting tires on the blacktop patching trailer.
A moratorium on private cemeteries in the township will continue indefinitely.
A letter from the State Demographer’s Office showed the 2022 population for Morse was 1,173 and the number of households was 576.
Berrini said he asked about state funding for ambulance in St. Paul but nothing was accomplished.
The next meeting was set for July 18 at 4 p.m.
The meeting was adjourned at 6:10 p.m.
_____________________________ _____________________________
Len Cersine, Chair Nick Wognum, Clerk
Official Website of Town of Morse