SOUDAN- The Breitung Town Board, at their Tuesday meeting, finalized the job description and is now ready to hire a new full-time maintenance assistant.

The new position replaces now-retired Tom Poderzay’s part-time duties, with the addition of new responsibilities. The position will now require a commercial class B driver’s license with an air-brake endorsement (or be able to obtain one within 4-6 months from date of hire). The position includes duties like building maintenance, road repair and care, water and sewer, plowing and ability to respond to emergencies.

The position will pay $18.50 per hour and include health benefits; the package totals about $7,000 more in wages and $20,000 more in health insurance than what the township had been paying. Chairman Tim Tomsich expressed unease about the added expense but said, “the need is there.”

“We’re going to have to go bare bones,” said Supervisor Chuck Tekautz.

Applications for the assistant position are now being accepted and are due by Wednesday, Oct. 7 at 4 p.m.

The town board is also considering the purchase of a new maintenance vehicle which will be partially paid for with $10,000 left over from the CARES Act funds. At the top of the wish-list is a Bobcat Toolcat. The Toolcat is an extremely versatile skid-steer type machine that has more than 40 attachments and would likely be used for mowing and snowplowing among other things. Gorsma will also see about trading in some of the existing township vehicles or other alternative vehicles that might fit the townships needs.

Other news

In other news, the town board:

• Heard that there’s been a lot of garbage plugging up the wastewater system, mostly baby wipes. Please do not flush wipes down your toilet, even if they say they are flushable.  

• Received a thank you from Prospectors ATV Club for the townships help in a trail maintenance project between McKinley Park and Tower.

• Heard that the existing hockey boards will be restored over the next four to five years a little at a time. This year they will put down a waterproof mat and gravel. They will shorten the rink by adding temporary plastic boards about twenty feet in on the shack-side.

• Heard that after union negotiations, Gorsma will receive a dollar raise and 80 cent raises in the next two consecutive years and a $50 monthly credit for using his personal phone for work.

• Received $15,000 in Taconite Municipal Aid.

• Approved a purchase of $7,000 for a backup sewage grinder pump at McKinley Park.

• Heard that the fire department received $3,000 for training reimbursement from the Minnesota Board of Firefighter Training and Education.

• Heard the smoke testing did not reveal any leaks.

• Heard that the board will seek legal counsel on spending forfeiture money, which has restricted uses, on the town hall improvement project.

• Will get costs for an automatic door opener at the community center’s double doors, which would be paid for with CARES funding.

• Set special meetings including Thursday, Sept. 30 at 4 p.m. to look at CARES fund purchasing, and Thursday, Oct. 8 at noon to review applicants. The next regular meeting is Tuesday, Oct. 27 at noon.