Meeting Minutes:

Call to Order

Present

Road Report Items

Treasurer’s Items

Clerk & Deputy Clerk Items

Supervisor Items

Motion to Adjourn

Workshop meeting was called to order by Chairperson Wermerskirchen at 5 p.m. The Pledge of Allegiance was recited.

Chairperson John Wermerskirchen, Supervisor Edward Nytes, Supervisor DeAnn Croatt, Treasurer Nathan Hutton, Deputy Treasurer Patricia Peterson, Clerk Heather Taylor DuCharme, Deputy Clerk Kimberly Carlberg, Road Overseer Jeff Haag, and Steve Rynda.

1.       Wermerskirchen asked if Haag’s road review notes would be in the 5/7/2026 meeting minutes. Haag did provide his notes to attach to the minutes.

2.       Discussion of road review items, including gravel on Camber and quote for washout.

3.       Wermerskirchen received a call from the school bus garage that a driver had trouble on a gravel road because the gravel had been placed down the center but not spread when the driver accessed the road. Appears to be an issue of timing and Wermerskirchen asked Haag to talk to Art Johnson Trucking about timing and how long gravel is left before grading and spreading.

4.       Haag had a call from a WCLD resident who met the gravel/grading truck coming toward the WCLD resident on Pexa. The WCLD resident stated that the gravel/grading truck didn’t slow down appropriately. Haag will advise Art Johnson Trucking of call.

5.       Haag picked up a couch in the ditch on St. Benedict and disposed of it.

6.       Haag provided a dust coating update, including communication issues with Scott County regarding scheduling. Haag may not be able to do ride along with Envirotech and there was discussion of who might be able to do it in his place.

7.       The trees on 270^th have grown over into the ditch. Haag contacted vendors and only one replied with a quote ($750 from Skluzacek). On motion by Croatt/Nytes, Haag approved to contact Skluzacek to complete work.

8.       Wermerskirchen contacted Andrew Vistad regarding road review update and told Vistad to obtain samples for pond scraping project. Vistad will follow up with a report and next steps/recommendations after samples obtained and reviewed.

9.       Wermerskirchen said that Vistad also looked at the culverts on WCLD. Vistad reviewed photos from WCLD project 5 years ago and noted that some inverted culverts that were in the right of way have been covered by residents and overgrowth. It is difficult for the Township to address water in ditches when residents cover and impede culverts. Supervisors discussed contacting residents with covered culverts to advise them to uncover on their own or the Township would and assess them for the cost. Supervisors advised Taylor DuCharme to wait on letters until Wermerskirchen gets more information and clarification from Vistad.

1.       Hutton provided an update on the PERA issue. There have been changes to PERA participation requirements since Hutton took over from the previous treasurer. Hutton called PERA to determine what the rules are and what the Township needs to do to become compliant.

a.       Elected officials can voluntarily choose to participate in the defined contribution plan with PERA. Elected officials can opt out of PERA. The contribution is paid 5% by the township and 5% by withholding from the elected official’s pay.

b.       Any employee who is paid $425 in a single month is at that point required to participate in the coordinated PERA Plan from that point forward and cannot opt out. An employee who is never paid $425 in a monthly pay period is not permitted to participate in the coordinated PERA plan. The contribution is paid 7.5% by the township and 6.5% by withholding from the employee’s pay. Road overseers and deputies (clerk and treasurer) are employees but election judges are excluded and not treated as employees.

c.       The PERA representative advised Hutton that the Township is required to pay both the Township and employee portions of the PERA contributions to bring the Township and employees in compliance. The PERA representative stated that the Township cannot force employees to pay in for contributions not properly withheld or paid by the Township.

d.       The billing statement from PERA only calculated Haag’s catch up contributions for 4/1/2022-12/31/2024. The PERA representative said that PERA would send a separate billing statement for Haag and Carlberg for calendar year 2025 through May 2026.

e.       On motion by Croatt/Nytes, PERA claim for $2,963.29 was approved as presented for payment by ACH/EFT; carried unanimously. Roll call vote: Wermerskirchen – yes; Croatt – yes; Nytes – yes. Hutton requested Supervisors approve a transfer from savings to checking for the $2,963.29 amount and on motion by Croatt/Nytes, transfer of $2,963.29 from savings to checking was approved; carried unanimously.

2.       Hutton updated the spreadsheet the calculates the PERA withholding and will have Peterson review it.

1.       Taylor DuCharme provided an election cycle update following a meeting at Scott County Government Center with Scott County, other townships, cities, and local election officials.

2.       Wermerskirchen asked if there has been any updates regarding the Jordan fire contract (none). Taylor DuCharme will contact Sand Creek Township and ask about a status because Chad Sandey was going to be contacting Jordan about the contract.

3.       Carlberg will be updating the website with the recycling event information for the joint event with Scott County, Helena Township, Sand Creek Township, Cedar Lake Township, and Spring Lake Township. Discussion of the event as planned for this year and cost. Scott County will cover any costs over Township grant money allocation.

1.       Email/outlook issues review and discussion.

2.       Supervisors discussed tree replacement options for Raven Stream Park with Rynda.

3.       Rynda provided an update regarding the City of New Prague’s election location. The Board thanked Rynda for the New Prague Fire Department’s flexibility in letting the Township use the Fire Hall for elections. The general election occurs during the Fire Department’s regularly scheduled training exercises. The Township will pay for an alternate location for fire department training due to the scheduling conflict created. After Rynda left, the Supervisors discussed sending a thank you note to the Fire Department following the election this year.

4.       Croatt asked if there had been any additional contact by residents on Willow Court (none).

5.       Croatt asked whether the $1,500 donation from Jordan Fire Relief Association had been received yet (no). Supervisors discussed sending a thank you note after receipt and possibly pictures of trees installed.

6.       Croatt provided an update from the Alton Avenue remote meeting. Nytes provided an update on the Bisek property on the Township border with the City of New Prague. There was discussion of impacts to Alton from possible developments.

7.       Wermerskirchen advised that the Scott County Township Chair meeting is coming up and that any Board members could go. Discussion of making sure to post a notice of quorum if two or more Supervisors attend.

8.       Nytes provided an update following the New Prague Rural Fire Association meeting. A township that currently uses Belle Plaine fire district services will be switching to LeSueur fire district.

At 6:20 p.m. on motion by Nytes/Croatt, meeting adjourned; carried unanimously.