GREENWOOD TWP- Newly-elected supervisor Lois Roskoski was unanimously elected chair at the Greenwood’s reorganization meeting on March 21. Paul Skubic was elected to serve as vice-chair.
Incoming supervisors Roskoski and Craig Gilbert, along with clerk Debby Spicer noted that records had been and were still being transferred smoothly between the old and new officeholders. Former clerk JoAnn Bassing was also at the meeting to help with the transition.
The new board voted in lockstep through the entire meeting.
Committee assignments were as follows: John Bassing for the Joint Powers Recreation Board, Rick Stoehr for 911-signs and Noxious Weed Inspector, Paul Skubic for Road Supervisor and Lodging Tax Board, Craig Gilbert for Buildings and Grounds Supervisor and Broadband Liaison.
The decision on who to appoint as representative to the Tower Ambulance Commission was tabled until the April meeting. Lois Roskoski said she was interested in this position. Bassing said he might be interested, depending on how the board proceeds on the issue.
The only hiccup at the meeting was the filing of the township’s 2023 financial report with the state auditor. Treasurer Jeff Maus said this was due at the end of March, and that he would be reviewing the document to make sure it was accurate before it was filed. The board set a special meeting for Wednesday, March 27 at 6:30 p.m. to review the document. Maus noted that all the claims and expenditures had already been approved by the board.
The board tabled setting township salaries, reimbursements, and fees until the April meeting.
Roskoski presented an updated version of the township’s board policies, written in a resolution format. The resolution covers behavior guidelines for township officials and employees, meeting protocol, public comment guidelines, and how to handle township correspondence.
The resolution also details administrative guidelines for the clerk and treasurer. The clerk’s duties include keeping custody of township records, books, and papers at the town hall, keeping a record of all meeting minutes, posting legal notices, balancing claims using the CTAS program, and keeping the township website operational (with the option of contracting the service out). The board also set regular hours for the clerk’s office.
The treasurer’s duties include receiving and taking charge of all monies belonging to the township, and issuing all proper payments, using the CTAS system to record the township balances, provide all financial records requested by the board, and provide the town board with quarterly and year-to-date expenditures, compared to budget items.
In other business, the board:
• Kept meeting dates the same, on the second Tuesday of each month at 6:30 p.m., except for March, where the annual meeting is on the second Tuesday, and the reorganizational meeting will be held on the fourth Thursday.
• Approved paying for training costs, such as attending Minnesota Association of Township training sessions, for all board members, as well as the clerk and treasurer and their deputies. Several board members indicated they were planning to attend upcoming trainings in the region. The board also reviewed who has spending authority and the ability to charge at area businesses, as well as on the township credit card.
• Voted to retain the firm of Couri and Ruppe as township attorneys. The firm charges $265 per hour for all general legal services, and $290 per hour for all work done where a property owner or applicant is billed by the township. The township had been using Virginia-based attorney Mitch Brunfelt, who was charging a flat fee of $500 per month.
• The board voted to name the Timberjay as the official newspaper even though their bid was higher than the Tower News. The Timberjay bid $1.99 for legal-style notices and $3.75 per column inch for boxed ads, the same rate as in 2023. The fact the Timberjay has a website that archives all legal notices, and this is available free-of-charge to readers, appeared to be the primary reason for the decision. Residents at the annual meeting had also voted in favor of having the Timberjay as the official paper.