Unapproved Annual Meeting Minutes 3.8.16
The Annual Meeting in the Town of Farming, County of Stearns, State of Minnesota was held in the Farming Community Center on the 8th day of March 2016. 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 nominate Victor Kotten, Dave Robertson seconded. Victor Kotten accepted the nomination. All in favor, motion carried. No other nominations for moderator were made. Dale Lange made a motion to close nominations, Dave Robertson seconded. All in favor, motion carried. Victor Kotten was declared the moderator.
The minutes of the 2015 Annual Meeting were read by Clerk Judy Bruemmer. Paul Killmer made a motion to accept the minutes as read, Jason Willenbring seconded. All in favor, motion carried.
The Treasurer’s Report was reviewed. Discussion was held. Gary Winkels made a motion to accept the report as printed, Tony Legatt seconded. All in favor, motion carried.
Paul Killmer made a motion to continue with Trappers Pub and Grub, Immanuel Lutheran Church, the Farming Community Center and the Township Website as posting places, Brian Brix seconded. All in favor, motion carried.
Ken Hamann made a motion to have the Albany Enterprise as the official newspaper for publishing legal notices, Lloyd Salzl seconded. All in favor, motion carried.
Gary Winkels 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, Jerry Rausch seconded. Discussion was held. All in favor, motion carried.
Patti Zimmerman made a motion to have the Farming Community Center as the official Annual Town Meeting site with the meeting to start at 8:30 pm on March 14, 2017, Brian Brix seconded. All in favor, motion carried.
Dale Lange 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 hire someone to mow the road ditches, Don Brinkman seconded. All in favor, motion carried.
The results of the Annual Election Board of Canvass were reported as follows: For Supervisor – Neil Franz received 75 votes, Dave Robertson received 136 votes. Dave Robertson was declared the winner of the Supervisor position. For Clerk – Judy Bruemmer received 203 votes. There were 2 write-in votes with one vote each. Judy Bruemmer was declared the winner of the Clerk position. A total of 212 ballots were cast in the Annual Election.
Ken Hamann made a motion to destroy the 2014 Annual Election ballots, John Linn seconded. All in favor, motion carried.
Neil Franz gave a short speech thanking residents for their support over the years and congratulating Dave Robertson and Judy Bruemmer.
The next item on the agenda was the General Levy. Paul Killmer made a motion to put the tarring fund into the General Fund thereby lessening taxes for residents. Discussion was held. It was decided that the motion was not relevant to the General Levy and should be made when the Tarring Fund Levy was up for discussion. Paul Killmer then retracted his motion. Jack Wimmer made a motion to set the General Levy at $210,500, Don Linz seconded. All in favor, motion carried.
The Tarring Fund levy came up for discussion. Paul Killmer made a motion to re-allocate the tarring fund to the General Fund. After much discussion on the subject both for and against, Paul Killmer retracted his motion. Then Jack Wimmer made a motion allocating the tarring fund through 2016 for maintenance of existing roads only, not new tar, Patti Zimmerman seconded. There was considerable discussion on the motion. Don Linz called for a secret paper ballot. 29 residents voted in favor of the motion, 11 against. The motion was carried. There were 40 residents at the Annual Meeting. Tom Buerman made a motion to set the Tarring Fund Levy at $100,000 for 2017, Brian Brix seconded. All in favor, motion carried.
Wally Buerman made a motion to destroy the secret ballots, Gary Winkels seconded. All in favor, motion carried.
Dave Robertson made a motion to continue dustcoating roads with the Board deciding which roads to dustcoat and residents wanting additional roads dustcoated along their property paying half, Dale Lange seconded. All in favor, motion carried.
Vernon Willenbring thanked Neil Franz for his years of service on the Township Board.
At 9:52 pm, Ken Hamann made a motion to adjourn the meeting, Don Linz seconded. All in favor, motion carried.
Minutes taken by Judy Bruemmer, Farming Township Clerk