Meeting Minutes:

Helena Township

Board of Supervisors – Meeting Minutes

8/6/2026 | New Prague Fire Hall

 

CALL TO ORDER. Regular meeting was called to order by Chairperson Wermerskirchen at 5 p.m. The Pledge of Allegiance was recited.

 

PRESENT. 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 Tom Johnson.

 

MEETING DISCUSSION

 

CLAIMS
Check#	Amount	Payee	Reason/Purpose
7273	$1,633.74	Couri & Ruppe PLLP	Legal Fees
ACH	$278.83	First Bank & Trust	Township Expenses
7274	$4,720.13	Hakanson Anderson	Engineering Expenses
7275	$275.00	JAAKLLC	Mailbox Post
7276	$2,755.76	Scott County	Salt
7277	$810.00	Steve Rynda Construction and Landscape LLC	Park Maintenance
7278-7285	$6,187.20	Board Members/Employees	Salary/Meeting Fees/Mileage

 

RECEIPTS
Date	Amount	Payor	Purpose/Reason
7/3/2026	$926.31	Mehrkens	Dust Coating
7/6/2026	$544.68	Tasto	Dust Coating
7/10/2026	$93.33	State of Minnesota	ORI
7/14/2026	$66.22	Hamilton	Dust Coating
7/16/2026	$2.00	Hutton	Election Filing Fee
7/16/2026	$2.00	Nytes	Election Filing Fee
7/16/2026	$2.00	Wermerskirchen	Election Filing Fee
7/20/2026	$855.50	State of Minnesota	Town Aid
7/31/2026	$180.30	First Bank & Trust	Interest - Sweep
7/31/2026	$22.61	First Bank & Trust	Interest
7/31/2026	$21.05	Riverland Bank	Interest

 

1. Discussion and review of MAT District 4 meeting attended 8/5/2026, including issues related to contracts, accepting or denying bids/quotes, and weed control.

 

2. Review of proposed July meeting minutes and 8/5/2026 meeting minutes. On motion by Croatt/Nytes, minutes accepted and approved as presented; carried unanimously.

 

3. Review of deadline for snow plow quotes to be received for review at August workshop.

 

4. Hutton presented Treasurer Report for review and discussion, including deposits, 2027 project naming (SMH – Silver/Maple/Hunter), and historical contract costs (follow up from MAT D4 meeting information). On motion by Nytes/Croatt, Treasurer’s Report accepted and approved as presented; carried unanimously.

 

5. Review and discussion of claims and orders, including increased IRS mileage reimbursement rate. Discussion of board members not needing to include addresses on claims for confidentiality pursuant to new state laws. After review of claims and on motion by Croatt/Wermerskirchen, all claims were approved as presented for payment, including checks 7273-7285 and one ACH/EFT totaling $16,678.67; carried unanimously. Roll call vote: Wermerskirchen – yes; Croatt – yes; Nytes – yes. Hutton requested Supervisors approve a transfer from savings to checking for the total $16,678.67 amount of claims and on motion by Nytes/Croatt, transfer of $16,678.67 from savings to checking was approved; carried unanimously.

 

6. Haag provided an update regarding:

 

1. The empty lot on Willow Lane is for sale.
2. Called property owner about thistle review from last meeting and advised property owner there was no thistle and discussed dust coating being missed this year.
3. Haag’s medical restrictions still in effect.
4. There is a dead tree on Willow Lane that is outside the ROW but hanging over the street. Supervisors instructed Taylor DuCharme to send letter to property owner instructing property owner to remove tree.
5. Property owner on 270^th contacted Nytes about 270^th needing to be bladed. Johnson said Doug will do it as soon as possible weather and schedule permitting.
6. Wermerskirchen talked to a property owner blading the triangle shaped portion of the roads at the end of CR8 (Vermont and W 220^th). Wermerskirchen advised the property owner that the roads are township roads and the property owner should not be blading them. Property owner told Wermerskirchen that they don’t want and will not allow the township to grade the roads adjacent to their property in that location. Johnson advised the Board that the property owner does allow snow plowing without objection. Johnson also advised the Board that the property owner previously objected to Township maintenance of the road which caused deterioration to the road leading to having to repair it. Johnson also stated that when Duane Deutch was on the Board, Deutsch advised Johnson to not blade that portion of the road. A couple of years ago when Johnson tried to blade that portion of the road, a female property owner jumped in front of the grader to stop him. Discussion by Board regarding appropriate next steps and communications with property owner. Wermerskirchen will contact MAT staff attorneys first for direction, and if necessary, also Bob Ruppe.
7. Johnson provided information regarding road projects in other townships.

 

7. Campaign finance reports showing unredacted candidate addresses were removed from the website. Croatt asked if redacted reports needed to be reuploaded to website. Taylor DuCharme will research.

 

8. Hutton provided updates regarding the following:

 

1. Antivirus software purchased for Treasurer computer by Hutton on two-year subscription. Taylor DuCharme to check cost for additional Webroot licenses for Treasurer and Clerk computers.
2. Riverland Bank changed its name to and/or merged with Eagle Rock Bank.
3. Received notification from PERA that all past due amounts are paid and caught up. Peterson qualifies for PERA now and contributions will need to start with the next payment to PERA.
4. Update on status of getting CTAS up and running. Planning for starting use in early 2027.
5. Discussion of record retention policy. Hutton will research compliance questions.

 

9. Taylor DuCharme provided updates on the following:

 

1. Update from New Prague City Council meeting on 8/3/2026 that Taylor DuCharme and Wermerskirchen attended. The agenda item relating to the Township was about the concept plan for the 63+ acres that a developer JP Brooks is planning to buy from the Bisek property adjacent to the City of New Prague and ask to have annexed. There are no Township minutes from that meeting because there was not a quorum of Supervisors present.
2. Update on Bevcomm utility permits. Hutton advised the Board that there are noxious weeds growing around the Bevcomm tower on Koeper Avenue. Taylor DuCharme will email the person who submitted the recent permit requests (for a different area in the Township) to advise and request weed removal/spraying.
3. Wermerskirchen forwarded an email from a property owner by Raven Stream neighborhood to Taylor DuCharme. The property owner had questions about a waterway that is becoming clogged and new/updated playground equipment for the park. Taylor DuCharme to forward the email to Haag. Haag and Wermerskirchen will review the waterway and report back to the Board. Wermerskirchen will research costs for replacement and installation of new playground equipment.
4. Update regarding the planned 2027 SMH road improvement project. Notices for the public hearing were mailed to all property owners. Property owners have reached out to Board members and been advised to attend the meeting for information and questions. Board members received Andrew Vistad’s proposed PowerPoint for review.

 

10. Carlberg provided updates regarding the following:

 

1. Review of calendar for upcoming deadlines.
2. Discussion of posting for possible quorum at MAT L&R meeting scheduled for 9/15/2026 and MAT annual meeting scheduled for December.

 

11. Croatt provided update relating to election law change for candidates.

 

12. Wermerskirchen advised the Board regarding information he received related to St. Lawrence Township and the Michels Foods construction near the St. Lawrence Township border with the City of Jordan.

 

13. Wermerskirchen asked Chad Sandey from Sand Creek Township for an update on the fire contract status. Sandey had been waiting for the City of Jordan to get back to him. Sandey advised Wermerskirchen that Sandey would reach out to the City of Jordan for an update. Supervisors asked Taylor DuCharme to email the township clerks from the impacted townships for updates as well.

 

MOTION TO ADJOURN/CONTINUE. At 6:10 p.m. on motion by Croatt/Nytes, meeting continued to 8/19/2026 workshop; carried unanimously.

 

 

Respectfully submitted                                                                 Approved

 

 

Dated:                                                                                                   Dated:                                                                                  

 

 

                                                                                                                                                                                                               

Clerk                                                                                                      Chairperson