GREENWOOD TWP- An Aug. 21 special town board meeting here was shorter than usual, after the agenda left off several typical items normally handled during the board’s monthly meeting. The meeting was held later than usual this month after a failure to properly post the board’s originally scheduled Aug. 14 special meeting forced the cancellation of the earlier meeting.
Left off the Aug. 21 agenda was public input, along with the fire chief’s and supervisor’s reports. The board even skipped reciting the pledge of allegiance, normally done prior to every regular meeting, because it wasn’t specified on the agenda.
The board spent some time discussing the township’s failure to make some PERA contributions, an oversight that was discovered by the clerk.
“Since April 2022,” said Chair Lois Roskoski, “anyone participating in PERA was having money taken out of their checks, but not sent into PERA, and the township matching portion was not paid. Clerk Debby (Spicer) has been working with PERA to get this resolved. To see what interest money was lost. There will be fines.”
While the employee contributions are still in an account with the township’s payroll processing contractor ADP, the township’s contributions were never made, and the township will owe possible penalties and interest on some of the employee accounts.
This did not apply to the fire department members’ PERA payments, only salaried employees who elected to make PERA contributions.
Spicer estimated that “upwards of $5,000 will be due to PERA.”
Roskoski said the clerk has spent a number of excess hours working on this issue, and asked the board if they would approve paying her for the extra time. The board said they would wait until the issue is resolved to make the decision and asked the clerk to track the time being spent.
The employees affected included two former fire department officials, two previous township officials, and three current township officials. The monthly deductions, which would be equivalent to the township match, ranged from around $19 to $116, but most were in the $20 range.
Financial duties
The board spent much of the meeting outlining the financial procedures to be followed by the clerk and treasurer, to ensure that the township records are properly recorded and accounted for. Former treasurer Pam Rodgers reported on the work she had done to bring the clerk’s recordkeeping accounts up to date.
“The clerk’s books are now in balance,” Rodgers said. “Debby and I worked on this together, and we got the information we needed from Jeff (Maus).”
Rodgers said inputting the township’s investment income into the CTAS accounting software brought the clerk’s and treasurer’s balances into check.
“All the accounts Jeff shows on his reports are in there, and they basically match.”
Rodgers said the new systems being put in place for the clerk and treasurer will now be giving the town board more information.
“It’s good to have two sets of eyes looking at things and make sure they are matching,” she said.
A request from treasurer Jeff Maus, to regularly move interest payments from township investment CDs into their respective general fund was approved, 3-2, with supervisors Paul Skubic and Craig Gilbert voting against. This change will simplify the monthly entries needed to properly account for the monies.
While the board seemed happy with the additional information now being submitted by the clerk and the treasurer, the motion to approve the treasurers report was also approved on a split vote, with Skubic and Gilbert voting against.
A motion to approve the July payroll was approved 3-2, with Supervisors John Bassing and Rick Stoehr voting against.
The payroll had been mailed out the week prior, to comply with state rules regarding prompt payment of bills.
“Who approved the payroll?” asked Bassing. Clerk Debby Spicer said she had contacted the Minnesota Association of Townships and the township attorney, who approved the decision to send out the checks before formal board approval.
“We are all on salary,” she said, “and the rest of the hours had been approved by the fire chief.”
“Paying out is approved by the town board,” Bassing stated.
Spicer said the board would have the authority to adjust any of the checks, afterwards, if needed.
A vote to approve the updated internal controls policy passed 3-2, with Bassing and Stoehr voting against. Bassing said the board had just violated the payroll section of that policy.
Other business
In other action, the town board:
• Heard that the pickleball courts are paved and fenced. The posts and painting will be completed soon. The pickleball group held another fundraiser on Aug. 22. The group also requested that the township cut the check for the previously approved $24,999 donation, which will be used to pay existing bills. The board said they will approve this at their next meeting, which will be held on Thursday, Sept. 12 (note change from regular meeting day).
“This group is so full of enthusiasm,” said Roskoski. “This is so good for our community and looks great.”
• Approved hiring Jerry Sawyer to do maintenance at the town hall at $30 per hour.
• Discussed the township’s medical supply loan closet. Clerk Spicer asked for direction on what to do with the equipment and supplies, and she expressed concern there could be a liability if the township lent out equipment that was damaged or not in perfect condition. “We should not be a medical center here,” Spicer said. “I think it is a big liability.”
But board members felt this was something the township was doing to help residents.
“We’ve had this for 30 years and it hasn’t been a problem,” said Bassing.
The board voted to retain the equipment, and loan it out as before. The township will let people know they should disinfect any borrowed equipment and inspect it to make sure it is in good condition before using it. Anyone interested in getting equipment from the loan closet should contact the clerk’s office or a township supervisor.
• Heard that someone from Minnesota Department of Transportation had come to look at the helipad landing area, taking measurements and photographs. “They will be getting us a report,” said fire chief Jeff Maus. The landing site has been used about eight times already this year. The township recently discovered it was not a “licensed” landing zone. Maus told the board there are not any licensed landing zones in the area. Maus said he was optimistic the landing zone would be able to get licensed but might require some tree trimming and removal of an unused antennae from the roof of the fire hall.
• Will do water testing before and after water has gone through the Brassmaster filtration system, to see how much arsenic is being removed. If the system is not working properly, the township may need to replace the filtration media, which may • Voted to move the September meeting to Thursday, Sept. 12, due to a work conflict with supervisor Craig Gilbert.