Miltona Township supervisors approve financial actions, set officers and wages

On Jan. 13, 2025, the Miltona Township Board of Supervisors met at the Miltona Community Center and approved a set of routine and administrative financial actions, set officer roles and adopted a compensation schedule.

Chair Jerome Haggenmiller called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. Supervisors present were Brent Boesl, Stephanie (Steph) Stueve (treasurer), Thomas (Tom) Blank (clerk) and Matt Kugler (attending remotely). The board recited the Pledge of Allegiance.

The board accepted multiple sets of minutes on motions from Matt Kugler, seconded by Brent Boesl; each motion was recorded as carried 3-0. Treasurer Stephanie Stueve presented the treasurer's report showing a checking balance of $1,964.26, a money market balance of $1,002.46 and an Intrafi account balance of $529,770.41, for total funds of $532,737.13. Chair Jerome Haggenmiller moved to accept the treasurer's report; the motion carried 3-0.

The board approved payment of bills totaling $96,592.19 (motion recorded as carried 3-0). Stueve said she will hold two bond payments until the end of the month and will transfer only enough into checking to cover the bills, then make an additional transfer near month-end to cover the bond payments.

The board approved online internal loan payments at First Western Bank dated Dec. 5, 2024 ($83,474.97) and Dec. 19, 2024 ($38,715.26) on a motion by Jerome Haggenmiller seconded by Matt Kugler; the motion was recorded as carried 3-0.

The board also approved a governance/compensation package (motion by Jerome Haggenmiller, seconded by Matt Kugler, carried 3-0). The package kept Jerome Haggenmiller as chair and named Matt Kugler vice-chair; all supervisors will serve on the Road and Weed Committees and Brent Boesl will serve on the Fire Committee. The board designated Echo Press, The Independent, the township website and the door of the Community Center as official instruments for public notice, and named First Western Bank & Trust as the township depository. The board authorized Thomas Blank to conduct township business in the name of the board and authorized Stephanie Stueve to transfer funds between accounts as business warrants. Mileage was set at $0.67 per mile. Meeting pay was set at $125 for the chair and $100 for supervisors; supervisor and treasurer wages were set at $20 per hour (with a $900 salary for the treasurer to be paid half in June and half in December); clerk pay was set at $22 per hour; election judges at $20 per hour and head election judge and annual meeting moderator at $25.

In old business, the minutes record that the partial road vacation on Smokey Timbers Road is complete and recorded; the clerk will invoice the Tjepkes for the filing fee and legal and township costs. The board noted a cartway vacate east of Lake Irene requires revised legal wording before presentation, and Supervisor Matt Kugler reported plans to rework the grade on Vermont Access Road in spring to address standing water; Tom Blank will consult MAT attorneys on legal questions.

Under new business the board moved to sign the weed report for submission to Tom Anderson, County Weed Inspector (motion carried 3-0). Tom Blank and Brent Boesl will attend the fire board meeting on Jan. 22 at the community center. An invoice has been submitted to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources for a $10,000 grant related to a culvert installation on Vermont Access Road. Tom Blank will contact Carr Tree Service for a quote to perform selective ditch spraying; the minutes note the spraying would be selective rather than broad. A strand of barbed wire frozen in a ditch on Vermont Access Road was raised during floor remarks as a safety concern.

The board set its next meeting for Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2025 at 7:00 p.m. at the Miltona Community Center, with the board of audit to follow. Jerome Haggenmiller moved to adjourn; Matt Kugler seconded and the motion carried 3-0. The meeting adjourned at 7:32 p.m.