Category Archives: 2024 Minutes

Minutes February 6, 2024

Minutes 2-6-24
The February Monthly Meeting of the Farming Township Board was called to order by Jason Willenbring at 8:00 pm. The
flag pledge was said. All members were present. Also present were Erick Popp from the Stearns County Sheriff’s office,
Dan Rea and Trevor Lange.
The January minutes were read. Dan Stommes made a motion to accept the minutes as read, Ben Mergen seconded. All
in favor, motion carried.
Treasurer Adam Brix gave a financial report with $600,568.73 in the checking/MM and one operating CD.
$1,237,144.26 in tarring fund CD’s. For a total of $1,837,712.99.
Sheriff deputy Eric Popp gave a recap of the activity that had happened in Farming Township in the last eight months.
Discussion was held regarding recent activity.
Dan Rea was present to request a liquor license for the Farming Baseball Club for the period of April 13,2024 thru
October 12,2024. Discussion was held. Dan Stommes made a motion to approve the liquor license for the Farming
Baseball Club, Ben Mergen seconded it all in favor, motion carried.
Dan Stommes gave a report from the 5 th Monday meeting held in Albany:
Road grants are becoming less and less, Avon Township put a moratorium in place for solar farms, they are only
granting permits for solar for personal use.
Albany School district will start using 4.0 bus company for the district starting July 1, with a 5 year contract, with
a two year trial period.
The new jail that is needed for Stearns County was also discussed, regarding options of how to pay for, and
where it should be located.
There is a culvert on 320 th west that needs to be looked at, by a county ditch. This will be brought to the attention of
Albany township.
The following claims were examined, verified and ordered paid.
7277 Total Agri-Business prepare 1099/W2’s 160.00
7278 Sunnybrook Ent snow removal/guarantee 1825.00
7279 City of St. Martin Fire Protection 8678.53
7280 Chain of Lakes Fire Protection 1758.21
7281 Star Publications Legal Notice 49.01
7282 Lange Trenching Inc Blading/December 1104.37
7283 Town Officers Assn Dues 374.00
ACH Stearns Electric Monthly bill 57.85
ACH Arvig Monthly bill 78.95
TOTAL 14,085.92
Year to date total $21,568.43

At 9:20 Dan Stommes made a motion to recess the monthly meeting to hold the Board of Audit and Budget meetings,
Ben Mergen seconded it . All in favor motion carried
Unofficial Minutes of the Board of Audit Meeting 2.6.2024
Jason Willenbring call the Board of Audit Meeting to order at 9:20pm
The Clerk and Treasurer met on Sunday January 7,2024 to reconcile their records. The supervisors reviewed the report.
Discussion was held. Dan Stommes made a motion to accept the report as presented. Ben Mergen seconded it. All in
favor motion carried.

Unofficial Minutes of the Budget Meeting 2.6.2024
Jason Willenbring called the Budget meeting to order at 9:25 pm
The Board reviewed the budget information and expenses from the previous year and set the budget to propose at the
annual meeting at $338,000. With $100,000 from the budget being put into the tarring fund and the balance used for
operating funds. Dan Stommes made a motion to set the proposed budget at $338,000 for the 2025 year. Ben Mergen
seconded it, All in favor, motion carried.

The February monthly meeting was called back to order by Jason Willenbring at 9:45pm
Township Election- Discussion was held.
Dan Stommes made a motion to appoint Linda Theisen as head judge with Victor Kotten and Anne Smith-Bleichner as
judges and to appoint Linda Theisen and Victor Kotten to the Absentee Ballot Board. Ben Mergen seconded it. All in
favor, motion carried
Dan Stommes made a motion to use Tuesday April 2 h as the 3 rd alternate date for Township election, Ben Mergen
seconded it, All in favor, motion carried.
At 10:05 Dan Stommes made a motion to adjourn the meeting, Ben Mergen seconded it, all in favor, motion carried

Minutes January 2, 2024

Minutes January 2,2024
The January Monthly Meeting of the Farming Township Board was called to order by Jason Willenbring at 8:00 pm. The
flag pledge was said. All members were present.
The December minutes were read. Ben Mergen made a motion to accept the minutes as read, Dan Stommes seconded.
All in favor, motion carried.
Treasurer Adam Brix gave a financial report with $599,294.46 in the checking, Money Market and one CD. Tarring fund
CD’s of $1,237,144.26 for a total of $1,836,438.72.
Dan Stommes made a motion to move $100,000.00 from the Money Market into a 6 month CD, Ben Mergen seconded
it, all in favor, motion carried.
Jason Willenbring gave a report from the Chain of Lakes Fire Department. Their budget will remain about the same as
last year.
Discussion was held regarding election judges. After checking with the County, it is OK for Linda Theisen to be an
election judge, even if her name is on the ballot, the only suggestion was that she not handle the ballots. The board was
OK with this. Linda Theisen will check with Victor Kotten and Anne Smith-Bleichner to see if they will both be available
for the March election, if not another judge will need to be found and trained in before the March election.
Discussion was held regarding of moving the township election to November, the board feels that there would be less
turn out at the annual meeting in March if this is done. Discussion was also held regarding the option of going back to in
person voting. There is the option of residents going to St. Cloud if they want to vote in person, or drop off their ballot
in St. Cloud if they don’t trust the mail. There is higher percentage of voters, voting by mail in ballot, than there was
when it was in person voting, and the board fees this is best for the township at this time.
The following claims were examined, verified and ordered paid
ACH Stearns Electric Monthly Bill 57.85
ACH Arvig Monthly Bill 78.95
7271 Sunnybrook Ent Monthly guarantee 1000.00
7272 M-R Signs 911 sign and posts 433.11
7273 United States Treasury 4 th quarter payroll tax 532.60
7274 MATIT Work Comp Ins 405.00
7275 Farming Comm Center Annual Rent 4000.00
7276 Community Tech Computer 975.00

Total $ 7,482.51
Year-to-date Total $ 7,482.51

At 9:00Ben Mergen made a motion to adjourn the meeting, Dan Stommes seconded. All in favor, motion carried.