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Silver Creek Township board approves gravel-pit lease, donates $200 for beaver removal and authorizes sale of old pickup
Summary
At its Nov. 26 meeting the Silver Creek Township Board of Supervisors approved the Starry Gravel Pit lease, authorized a $200 payment to a trapper who removed three beavers and approved selling an old pickup at auction; the board also approved routine minutes and disbursements and heard a public comment about a steep property-tax increase.
The Silver Creek Township Board of Supervisors approved several routine and operational items at its Nov. 26 meeting, including the Starry Gravel Pit lease, a $200 payment to a trapper for removing beavers and a plan to sell an old township pickup via auction.
Chairman Mike Helman called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. and the board, which includes Vice Chairman Brandon Geyen and Supervisors Andy Christensen, Sandy Forsman and Ryan Nelson, approved the meeting agenda after Helman added a sale of an old pickup. Vice Chairman Geyen moved to approve the agenda; Supervisor Forsman seconded the motion, which carried 5-0.
Why it matters: the lease for the Starry Gravel Pit and the replacement and disposal of township vehicles affect ongoing maintenance operations and the township’s equipment inventory. Approvals also cleared routine financial items the board must act on to maintain operations.
The board approved the Nov. 7, 2024 meeting minutes and the list of disbursements after motions by Vice Chairman Geyen and second by Supervisor Forsman; both motions carried 5-0. The audit of claims reviewed included payments such as Pera ($1,123.04), West Central ($5,845.21), Wright County ($150.00), Chatham Township ($30.00) and CorTrust ($28.62).
Clerk-Treasurer Alana Paumen reported she is working with the township’s CPA to finish the audit, is making parcel corrections and will submit this year’s fire assessments.
In maintenance updates, the board heard that a contractor may begin work Dec. 3–4 on the 134th culvert replacement and that the township will request a county extension for submitting invoices to qualify for grant funding. The board agreed the township attorney should draft an agreement allowing Chatham Township to store its water truck in Silver Creek’s storage shed.
The board also addressed recent wildlife control: the trapper removed three beavers from 150th Street. Chairman Helman moved to donate $200 to the trapper, Jason, for the work; Vice Chairman Geyen seconded the motion. Supervisor Andy Christensen abstained; the payment was carried 4-0.
Under old business, the board confirmed property violation letters have been mailed and one certified letter was received. The board said it will send a letter to the owner whose pontoon sits in the public right-of-way; the owner may sign a damage waiver to keep it in place for the current year only.
In new business the board reviewed and approved the Starry Gravel Pit lease (motion by Geyen, second by Forsman; carried 5-0). The board accepted and deposited a $353.42 check related to a hospital board dissolution and discussed early registration for the Minnesota Association of Townships (MAT) conference, with an early deadline of Nov. 27, 2024.
The township is expecting delivery of a 2013 F-550; the board discussed options for disposing of the old pickup and approved selling it on Elsenpeter Auction after a motion from Chairman Helman and second from Vice Chairman Geyen; the motion carried 5-0.
The meeting concluded with a motion by Vice Chairman Geyen to adjourn, seconded by Supervisor Christensen.
Next steps: the board will pursue the county invoice-extension request related to the culvert grant, have the attorney draft the water-truck storage agreement with Chatham Township and move forward with vehicle transfer and auction arrangements.
