Homer Township Board Regular Meeting Minutes

June 10, 2024 at 5:30 pm

Location: Homer Town Hall

Board Members in Attendance: Chairman Harlan Larsen, Supervisor Franklin Fitch, Jr., Supervisor Gordy Nagle, Treasurer Kim Skappel, Clerk Charlotte Roraff

Absent: None

Meeting was called to order by H. Larsen at 5:30pm.

Prior meeting minutes were read by C. Roraff. F. Fitch made a motion to accept the minutes as read. G. Nagle seconded. Vote taken, 3 in favor. Motion carried.

Meeting agenda was reviewed. G. Nagle asked to add one item to the agenda for new business. He asked to add discussion about a request he received from the Senior Advocacy group. G. Nagle made a motion to accept the meeting agenda with the addition of the Senior Advocacy group request, F. Fitch seconded. Motion carried.

Public comments started. Steve Bachler, Louie Born, Joe Neumann, Amy Cordry and Michael Busch all made public comments.

Ariana Saykslly-McAdams requested board approval on the building permit she and her husband have applied for with Winona County. The township supervisors reviewed her permit documents including the diagram of the proposed 4-season enclosed porch. Discussion was had. G. Nagle made a motion to support the building permit, F. Fitch seconded. Vote taken, 3 in favor. Motion passed.

JoAn Moham presented plans for Homer Heritage Day events. Event is planned for June 29th. It was requested to have Town Hall open to the public for the event as it was last year. Discussion was had surrounding set up and cleaning prior to the event and how access to the building could be arranged. JoAn will help coordinate volunteers for cleaning.  C. Roraff will arrange to provide access for the volunteers who will be cleaning.  Additionally, C. Roraff will be able to come open and close the building on the day of the event. G. Nagle made a motion to allow access to the Town Hall for the Homer Heritage Day events, F. Fitch seconded. Vote taken, 3 in favor. Motion passed.

Jeanne Nelson presented a request to the board to send a thank you letter to the son of the late Richard Bell since Richard was employed by the Township. Discussion was had. F. Fitch made a motion to send a thank you, G. Nagle seconded. Motion passed.  C. Roraff will send the note once an address is obtained.

C. Roraff received an email from Winona County regarding a missing sign. The Woodland Hills street sign closest to Highway 61 is missing. G. Nagle will go to the site for inspection.

G. Nagle received a call from Winona Senior Advocacy group requesting use of the Town Hall for a 3 hour block to provide assistance to local seniors with completing renters tax refunds.  Discussion was had.  F. Fitch made a motion to allow the group use of the building on either the 24th or 25th of June, G. Nagle seconded. Motion passed. G. Nagle will arrange to provide access to the building.

G. Nagle presented briefly on information he gathered from the Minnesota Association of Townships regarding helping or taking over Pickwick Fire Department. There would be a lot of work involved and a township attorney would be needed. G. Nagle will continue to gather information and reach out to neighboring townships who own their fire departments to gain more insight on how they operate.

C. Roraff received an email from the Minnesota DNR regarding the Pickwick Mill Dam Project comments being reopened. No action is needed from the township, but if anyone wants to review the manual and documents C. Roraff can forward them electronically. The DNR did not get to start the project when they thought so they reopened the comments as a courtesy. G. Nagle requested to receive the documents.  C. Roraff will forward the email.

Jeanne Nelson requested the board revisit the dead trees in the waterway.  Discussion was had and pictures of the trees were reviewed by the board. H. Larsen and G. Nagle will do a site visit to make sure they are township trees.

Jeanne Nelson requested the board address the issue of handicap accessibility of the Town Hall building and adding eaves and downspouts to the Town Hall building.  Discussion was had. F. Fitch made a motion to get quotes on eaves on the machine building. G. Nagle amended the motion to get quotes on the machine building and the Town Hall. F. Fitch seconded. Vote taken, 3 in favor. Motion passed. G. Nagle will gather quotes. Steve Bachler volunteered to gather ADA compliance information and for the board to review.

H. Larsen indicated rock hauling has been completed. Billing will be forthcoming.

C. Roraff indicated the township would need to publish a notice for sealed bids on the paving of Sebo Hill. C. Roraff will prepare the notice for publication and get it published. C. Roraff will be able to send bid packets to interested vendors.

JoAn Moham requested the board revisit adding the Pledge of Allegiance to the start of regular board meetings. G. Nagle made a motion to add the Pledge of Allegiance to the start of regular board meetings. F. Fitch seconded. Motion passed.  A flag and stand has been donated and will be brought to the next meeting.

G. Nagle made a motion to adjourn. F. Fitch seconded. Vote taken, 3 in favor. Meeting adjourned at 6:45pm.

Respectfully Submitted,

Charlotte Roraff

Homer Township Clerk