Area News | Home | Marketplace | Community

Return to Archived Stories


Paynesville Press - November 01, 2006

Township board proposes
mandatory garbage collection

The Paynesville Township Board of Supervisors took the following actions at their meeting on Monday, Oct. 23.

•The board was informed that the public hearing about the subordinate sewer district - a joint septic system in the new Crow River Heights development - was scheduled for Monday, Nov. 13, at 8:30 p.m. due to publishing requirements. The township, which has accepted responsiblity for monitoring the joint system, needs to establish fees for maintenance and eventual replacement costs for the system.

•The board discussed a rezoning request by Marty Frank to rezone his property from T-20 to A-40 and approved advertising for a public hearing for Monday, Dec. 18 (unless he decides to withdraw his request).

Since the ag rezoning would allow greater animal units, the proposal could face opposition from neighbors who argued against a variance requested by Frank to allow more animal units in his feedlot, Pietsch told the board. Several neighboring landowners have also inquired about what would be the pros and cons of rezoning their land to ag, Pietsch added.

Since a public hearing costs $150 for the township and $375 for the county, the board agreed to allow Frank to drop his request before publishing the hearing date and save the payment, if he changes his mind about requesting the rezoning.

•The board directed Pietsch to research having mandatory garbage pickup in the township. Supervisor Pat Meagher suggested the idea. Since it is illegal to burn or bury garbage and since everybody produces garbage, Meagher said that it seemed like everyone should have garbage collection.

Supervisor Harry Thielen agreed that without pickup garbage was being disposed of improperly, including littered into the township ditches. Pietsch, who has proposed the measure in the past, was appointed to research the issue.

•The board also discussed switching township elections from March to the general election in November and asked Wiese to check on the requirements. State statute requires three-year terms for supervisors, said Wiese, but township elections could be held in the fall if approved at the annual meeting. That way, in even years, township elections could be held with the general election, eliminating election expenses for the township, said Meagher.

•The board discussed the trail route and approved cutting the existing cul-de-sac on Cherrywood Road, which will be extended into a new development and end at a new cul-de-sac. The board also discussed resurfacing Cherrywood Road, possibly this fall if practicable.

•The board approved a variance for Brian Kobienia, who wants to construct a deck and stairway on the lakeside of his house on Brentwood Road. The additions would be no closer to the road, but the existing structure is only 41 feet from the road, less than the 63 feet required by the ordinance. A variance for 22 feet was granted.

•The board approved accepting a number of new roads - in Crow River Heights, in the Herzberg and Stoneburner additions, and the extension of Brentwood Road - as township roads.

•The board got an update about a large manure spill on Old Lake Road by Paynesville Police Chief Kent Kortlever. Clean up was done with the help of the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency. Despite attempts to track the source, nothing definite was found, Kortlever told the board, though the case remains under investigation.

•The board agreed to post newly-paved Roseville Road as a seven-ton road from Cemetery Road to Highway 55.

•The board agreed to raise prices for posts and arms for mailboxes to $55 for a single and $60 for a double (plus the mailbox cost, if wanted). The township's out-of-pocket costs for installing the posts has risen (to an estimated $53.50, plus labor), necessitating the price increase.

•The board directed clerk Don Wiese to research EDAP loan requirements and all criteria the township should be following. Concern was raised over whether projects such as housing and parking lots meet the criteria and purpose of EDAP.

•The board directed Wiese to find the purchaser of a property in the township with an expiring conditional-use permit in mid-November and send the new owners a certified letter about their options, including requesting an extension. The conditional-use permit was issued to allow the construction of an accessory building before a primary residence.

•The board approved the splitting of 10 acres owned by Shirley Cromwell into two five-acre plats.

•The board approved a winter meeting schedule for 2006-07. Instead of holding two meetings per month, the board will meet: on Monday, Nov. 13, at 8 p.m.; on Monday, Dec. 18, at 8 p.m.; on Monday, Feb. 12, at 8 p.m.; on Monday, March 12, at 8 p.m.; the annual meeting on Tuesday, March 13, at 8:05 p.m.; and on Wednesday, March 14, at 8 p.m. (for their organizational and regular meeting). The board will not meet in January.



Contact the author at editor@paynesvillepress.com   •   Return to News Menu

Home | Marketplace | Community