OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT OF THE PROCEEDINGS OF THE GRANT VALLEY TOWN BOARD OF SUPERVISORS MEETING OF THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2010.

The Grant Valley Town Board of Supervisors met for their regularly scheduled monthly business meeting on Thursday September 9, 2010 at the Grant Valley Town Hall.

Board Members and employees present were Hiltz, Boyer, Rauch, Treasurer Boyer, Clerk Schmidt, and employee Gordon Pierce.

Chairman Hiltz welcomed everyone and called the meeting to order with the pledge to the flag at 7:00 pm.

APPROVAL OF MINUTES:

Supervisor Rauch made a motion to accept the Minutes of the August 12, 2010 regular meeting minutes. Supervisor Boyer seconded motion and it carried on unanimous voice call vote.

TREASURER’S REPORT:

Treasurer reported fund balances of General $66,824.29; Road and Bridge $288,002.61; and Fire $32,539.07 for a total cash on hand balance of $387,365.97. Supervisor Rauch made a motion to accept the Treasurer's Report subject to audit. Supervisor Boyer seconded motion and it carried on unanimous roll call vote.

PAYMENT OF BILLS:

The bills were reviewed. Discussion held. Supervisor Boyer made a motion to pay the bills as presented. Supervisor Rauch seconded motion and it carried on unanimous roll call vote.

OLD BUSINESS:

Several residents were present to discuss the plat of Hunter's Point. Kelly Booge and Mel Spies were asked to start and Kelly indicated they had the same plat as they previously presented. Kelly indicated
Brian Grund would be here to give the storm water calculations shortly. The road plans have not been finalized as they haven't been given final approval for the plat. Nothing has changed, the layout is the same, and the configuration is the same. The drainage plan was reviewed. Brian Grund showed a general overview of the area. The state has a requirement of 1800 cubic feet per acre of development for storage. Since Beltrami County doesn't have a requirement it reverts back to the state. There is approx 109 feet of storage for this plat which is over the state requirement. He indicated there would be water that came off of this site, but no more than comes off of it at the present time. The driveway going into the Bohlmann residence was asked about by Supervisor Hiltz. Mel Spies indicated there has been nothing resolved at this time. Either the line will be where it is supposed to be according to the section line or it will get moved over to the edge of the existing driveway. The township doesn't have any involvement in that issue, it is between two landowners.

Mike Murphy asked if any of the water goes toward the river. According to the materials the board has been given that would not be the case.

John Egelhof was present and had a couple of issues – what exactly is a 100 year event? Brian Grund indicated that a 100 year event can occur over a defined period of time and it totally varies but in this case they looked at a 100 year 24 hour event and it was 5.2” for this area. Brian explained all the factors and drew a picture on the board to show the no net increase in volume. Mr. Egelhof also asked about the road and the 90 degree turns and the extra traffic. It was indicated that the town board wanted to deal with the road's elevation prior to the start of this development. Mr. Egelhof asked about the surface water running straight to Fern Lake. He felt clearly the ground level and run off would go to Fern Lake and he formally requested that the Township have an environmental impact worksheet done.

Nancy Marden was present and asked if anyone had requested a watershed map from the DNR that says exactly where the water goes to. Brian Grund indicated that yes he knows where the water goes to by deciphering the information off the maps he has available to him. They have conducted enough survey information to know. Everyone has testified that the water runs to that portion of the road. John Egelhof asked why we would need a culvert then. Brian indicated that the culvert is needed for the water that is going to that low spot now. John also requested again that this study be done.

Nancy Marden indicated that she had a map but didn't have it with her to show to the board. She felt there would be more pollutants coming off of that development.

Mary Ann Steele believes that extra ponds will breed mosquitos and she is curious about the wells as everyone will have their own well and how will it affect the people who already have wells. Supervisor Boyer indicated that the county indicates that 1.03 acres is enough land to sustain a house, 2 potential well sites and 2 potential sewer sites and this development has lots much bigger than the 1.03 acres. She is wondering about the culvert also and if the water will be going onto her property. It was indicated that it is going onto her property right now. The culverts that would be put in would not drain any water; they would just equalize the water so as to not flood anyone out as it is doing now. She also asked about the blacktop and the policy was indicated to her. She would like to know if there are real homes or trailer houses going in the plat. Mel Spies indicated that there would be stick built homes in this development.

Rodney Platt asked if we could put lot sizes into effect in the township. It was indicated that the land use had been put up for vote in the township many times and that it was voted down every time.

Randy Platt has a question on the actual design of the plat and is the pond going to be clay lined so it can't leak out. Brian Grund indicated that there are rules that pertain to the design of the pond. It will not be designed to be a clay lined basin to hold water because that goes against the state mandates.

Mary Therese Peterson is curious about what Mr. Egelhof proposed for the environmental worksheet. There are a whole set of rules that go along with that so the township will have to look into that. Mr. Egelhof indicated that a petition with 25 signatures could also spur an EAW. Brian Grund indicated that this development does not automatically meet the threshold to meet the EAW.

Rodney Platt indicated that there was a promise made to the residents on Laurel Estates that there would be stick houses put up when it was done and now it is nothing but a dump.

Mike Murphy asked if they are going to have individual wells, individual septic tanks and individual drain fields and it was indicated that would be the case. He then asked if they would cause problems and it was indicated that if they are put in as per state mandates then they would be fine.

Mary Therese Peterson asked how to get the 5 acre lot size back on the vote. It was indicated that could not be done without a fully fledged planning and zoning ordinance and it has to be brought up at the annual meeting and then voted on at the next year when the plan has been drawn up by a committee. It was indicated that taxes would be approximately tripled in cost and we would lose money and would not have the funds anymore to pay for the roads if a land use ordinance passed.

Brian Grund indicated that the county does do a cursory review with every development that gets proposed and it is very similar to the EAW questionnaire. The county questionnaire is remarkable similar to the state EAW questionnaire.

Supervisor Boyer indicated that the town board really only has a say in the plats for the roads.

Supervisor Boyer made a motion to send Troy Gilchrist an email giving a brief overview of the situation and asking if we should do an EAW or not. Supervisor Rauch seconded motion. Discussion held. Brian Grund indicated that he doesn't know who the Governing Body is and if it is Beltrami County then the petition would have to go to the county. John Egelhof indicated that the DNR told him the township was the governing body. The town board felt it should be looked into. Mary Ann Steele asked if they should attend the next county board meeting. Kelly Booge indicated that the county board meeting was set for September 27, 2010. Kelly Booge showed a letter to the board from the county indicating that they are on the agenda for the 27^th meeting. Motion carried on unanimous voice call vote.

Discussion held on the time frame. Mel Spies asked if the township could answer the five questions the county asked. They are:

1 - are the storm water ponds sufficiently designed? Yes, it meets state requirements.

2 – where is the existing surface water draining to and will the new development increase flow and to where?

3 – Is it feasible to redirect or divert flow toward Fern Lake?

4 – the driveway issue is not the township's concern it is between the two landowners.

5 – what is the potential lake flooding with the additional surface water from the proposed development?

Supervisor Hiltz made a motion to set up a meeting for September 23, 2010, at 7:00 p.m. for the Hunter's Point development and subsequent issues. Supervisor Boyer seconded motion and it carried on unanimous voice call vote. The answer needs to be to us from Troy Gilchrist by September 21^st.

Randy Platt asked for a copy of the letter from the county to Mel Spies and he was given a copy.

Boot Lake Road – Kelly Booge has tried multiple times to get ahold of Jim Brewer with no avail. Jaqueline Lund showed up tonight and signed her Highway Easement but indicated that Peter would not be back in the area until April or possibly November for deer hunting and she will ask him to come in and sign when he is there. Clerk Schmidt will go down to the Dreyers' store and ask them to sign and notarize at that time. No word back from either of the Brewers.

NEW BUSINESS:

Supervisor Rauch indicated that he received a call from a resident indicating that someone took gravel with a bobcat off of Balsam Ridge Road so he went and looked and it indeed had been done and put on the resident's driveway. The sheriff was called and pictures were taken. The sheriff was to get back to Supervisor Rauch but he has not. He will follow up since they haven't gotten back to him. Supervisor Boyer made a motion to send a letter to the resident that he can't take gravel from the road and since he did he will be getting billed for one load of gravel and the grading of the same. Supervisor Hiltz seconded motion and it carried on unanimous voice call vote. The resident resides at 513 Balsam Ridge Road SW.

Beryl Wernberg called Supervisor Hiltz and indicated that the County Line Road west of the Becida road is dangerous and impassable. He went and viewed the road. Dale Vogt should be getting gravel on that road soon. Beryl put it on the E911 to work around it until we get it graveled and someone needs to let her know there is gravel on it so she can take it off that list.

Bill Hayman and Noah Fuller were present and they have water restricted around the Stone Lake Road between the intersection and Noah Fuller's. It was looked at by the crossroad sign and they are wondering if the ditch in the road can be lowered. If the water is flowing it can't get any higher so Supervisor Boyer indicated that we can't cut that all loose to go faster. It could potentially drain out some of the lower ground but might fill down to the next person and they are going to come in and ask to have the ditch filled back in. Supervisor Hiltz asked if Bill had talked to Chris Parthun to see if he could look at it and he indicated he had not. Discussion held. Supervisor Hiltz will call Chris Parthun and try to get him to go out and look at it with him. Both residents indicated they were fine with them coming out and would be there if possible. Discussion held.

REPORTS:

Supervisor Hiltz reported on the Fire Association and the city was going to try to cut firefighters so he had to go to a city council meeting this week and the city was told that cutting firefighters would increase insurance premiums for all businesses and residents and also the possibility of problems if anyone were to die in a fire because of lack of firefighters.

ROADS:

Pretty good shape and Dale Vogt is starting to get gravel out now. Wade Thoring was present and was told to make sure to get out right before freeze up.

Treasurer Boyer indicated that she received a letter from the bank indicating that more securities were pledged to our accounts, covers our balances because we are over the federal amount.

As there was no further business, Supervisor Rauch made a motion to adjourn. Supervisor Boyer seconded motion and it carried on unanimous voice call vote. Meeting adjourned at 9:45 p.m.

Respectfully Submitted,

Angela Schmidt

Clerk