Approved Annual Meeting Minutes 3.12.13
The Annual Meeting in the Town of Farming, County of Stearns, State of Minnesota was held in the Farming Community Center on the 12th day of March, 2013. It was called to order by Clerk Judy Bruemmer at 8:30 pm. The flag pledge was said.

Judy Bruemmer asked for nominations from the floor for moderator. Brian Brix made a motion to nominated Bill Otto, Ken Hamann seconded. All in favor, motion carried. Bill Otto accepted the nomination. Melvin Willenbring made a motion to close the nominations, Anthony Legatt seconded. All in favor, motion carried. Bill Otto was declared moderator.

The minutes of the 2012 Annual Meeting were read by the Clerk. Anthony Legatt made a motion to accept the minutes as read, Dewey Klaphake seconded. All in favor, motion carried.

The Treasurer’s Report was reviewed. Discussion was held. Craig Bardson made a motion to accept the report as printed, Dale Lange seconded. All in favor, motion carried.

Donald Linz made a motion to continue with GoatRopers Bar and Grill, Immanuel Lutheran Church, Farming Community Center and the township website as posting places, Leo Bloch seconded. All in favor, motion carried.

Ken Hamann made a motion to have the Albany Enterprise as the official township newspaper for publishing legal notices, Paul Killmer seconded. All in favor, motion carried.

Randy Backes made a motion to have the Farming Community Center as the official polling place for the Annual Election and for the polling place to be open from 2 pm to 8 pm, Brian Brix seconded. All in favor, motion carried.

Dewey Klaphake made a motion to have the Farming Community Center as the official Annual Town Meeting place with the meeting to start at 8:30 pm on March 11, 2014, Ken Hamann seconded. All in favor, motion carried.

Paul Killmer made a motion for the monthly board meetings to be held on the first Tuesday of the month at 8:00 pm in the Farming Township Board Room, Ken Hamann seconded. All in favor, motion carried.

Ken Hamann made a motion to allow the Township Board to hire someone to mow the road ditches, Dewey Klaphake seconded. All in favor, motion carried. Board supervisors stated that anyone who did not want their ditches cut should contact the Board.

The results of the Annual Election were reported as follows: For Supervisor – Neil Franz received 68 votes, Anthony Legatt received 19 votes. Neil Franz was declared the winner of the Supervisor position. For Treasurer – Duane Janssen received 75 votes, there was one write-in vote. Duane Janssen was declared the winner of the Treasurer position. A total of 87 votes were cast in the Annual Election.

Jason Willenbring made a motion to destroy the old Annual Election ballots from 2011, Donald Linz seconded. All in favor, motion carried.

A report was given by the Township Board on the proposed levy for 2014. Ken Hamann made a motion to set the levy at $210,000, Brian Brix seconded. Duscussion was held. All in favor, motion carried.

Dewey Klaphake made a motion to levy $90,000 for the tarring fund, Craig Bardson seconded. There was a lengthy discussion on the tarring fund and how it was to be used. A secret ballot was requested by Ron Backes. A ‘yes’ vote approved the tarring levy of $90,000; a ‘no’ vote was against the levy. There were 44 people in attendance. The results were 29 ‘yes” and 15 ‘no’. The motion passed. Brian Brix made a motion to destroy the secret ballots, Dale Lange seconded. All in favor, motion carried.

The Board Supervisors explained the option of moving the Annual Election from March to November. Randy Backes made a motion to move the election to November, Ron Backes seconded. A voice vote was taken. The motion was defeated.

The Township Board thanked Dewey Klaphake for his presentation of “To Pave or Not to Pave” prior to the start of the Annual Meeting.

At 10:01 pm, Ken Hamann made a motion to adjourn the Annual Meeting, Randy Backes seconded. All in favor, motion carried.

Cookies provided by the Stearns Bank, and milk were served following the meeting.

Minutes taken by Judy Bruemmer.