Meeting Minutes:

MAT Spring Short Course – Arlington MN – March 25, 2026

Attended by Supervisors Ed Nytes and DeAnn Croatt

The Supervisors were welcomed by District 4 Director Diane Johnson and Executive Director Jeff Krueger.

Topics:

1. MN State Fire Marshall Division with department updates by John Ehret
   1. Vector Solution is a free online training option for fire departments.
   2. “When buying fire trucks, buy Chevy and stop all the customization!” Departments don’t need a parade truck. Consider gently used trucks.
2. Gravel and paved roads maintenance options and recommendations by Matt Stordahl
   1. Pits who sell products to MNDOT will have test equipment onsite.
   2. Township roads over 25’ are generally too wide and should be narrowed by adding dirt/grass seed, otherwise you are spending too much on gravel.
   3. Dust Control best products are calcium chloride or magnesium chloride
   4. Traffic counts on gravel roads above 200 vehicles/day require a paving study
   5. Cost of paved vs. gravel road maintenance is about the same – until a reconstruction is needed! That’s why maintenance is so important. Crack fill is the best bang for the buck.
   6. Micro surfacing is a good product.
3. MATIT update and legislative review
   1. MAT needs our new email addresses
   2. Put 1^st and 3^rd Tuesday on your calendar for Township Tuesday; all available on demand afterwards.
   3. Jeff asked that when we attend Lobby Days at the Capitol, we stay non-partisan. A legislator complained about receiving questions and comments that were not related to townships.
4. Road liability
5. 6-year grace is over
   1. “mistakes” are “hallucinations”
   2. Don’t include bank information in Minutes; too easy for criminals. They didn’t address how to handle designating a depository at our Annual Meeting or Reorganizational Meeting.

• There was an online survey offered, but no opportunity for suggested topics. If we have any suggestions, let’s share with MAT to make these sessions more valuable.
• Presentations will be available on MAT’s website.
• The District 4 meeting is August 5^th at Spring Lake Town Hall.
• The MAT Conference is December 10-12 at Grandview Lodge. 2027 is tentatively scheduled for Mystic Lake Casino Hotel.

DeAnn picked up a township manual, which will be invoiced to the township with the registrations for two officers.

Respectfully submitted by

DeAnn Croatt, Supervisor