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CRANE LAKE WATER & SANITARY DISTRICT (CLWSD)

BOARD OF MANAGERS’ REGULAR MEETING

Crane Lake Chapel Fellowship Hall

Wednesday, April 5, 2023– 1:00 P.M.

Members present: Mark Anderson, Bonnie Caughey, and Deena Congdon.  Also present: Clerk/Treasurer Jo Ann Pohlman and one member of the community.

Members absent:  Darrell Scott and Rob Scott.

The meeting was called to order by Vice-Chair Bonnie Caughey at 1:10PM.

Minutes: A motion was made by M. Anderson, supported by B. Caughey, to approve the minutes of the 2/1/23 Regular Meeting.  All voted in favor and the motion carried. There was no March meeting.

Correspondence:  The correspondence list was reviewed by the Board.  A motion was made by D Congdon, supported by M. Anderson, that the correspondence be placed on file and acted upon as required. All voted in favor and the motion carried.

Treasurer’s Report:  Clerk/Treasurer J. Pohlman presented the January-February 2023 Financial Statements to the Board.  February & March payroll:  Admin – $4,102.25 & Operating – $9,644.50.  Payroll Taxes: PERA – $2,032.53, Federal Deposit – $3,229.74.  Transferred $150,000 borrowed from Debt Service Savings by Legacy Fund Checking back to Debt Service Savings.  Transferred $576.98 from S.A. Revenue Checking to S.A. Savings (Tax Apportionment).  Transferred $7,500 from Hook-Up Fund Checking to Debt Service Savings.  The 2022 Audit has been completed and emailed to the Board.  A motion was made by D. Congdon, supported by M. Anderson, to accept the Treasurer’s Report as presented and the payment of bills as follows: (March) Admin Fund – $1,876.46 and Operating Fund – $14,294.73. (April) Admin Fund – $3,453.88; Legacy III Fund – $852.41; Legacy IV or Matching Funds – $28,500.00; Operating Fund – $9,388.21.   All voted in favor and the motion carried. 

 

Funding Balances:  A report of current Legacy Grant fund balances, Matching fund balances, and the MPCA-CWP Loan fund balance was presented to the Board.

Administration

  • Ordinance & Procedure Review:  The District will review their Ordinances and Procedures over the next few months.  B. Caughey is working on this project.
  • Levy – Early Tax Distribution:  A motion was made by M. Anderson, supported by D Congdon, to decline the SLC offer for early tax distribution.  All voted in favor and the motion carried.
  • Audit-Fraud Letters:  Two Board Members received a letter from the auditing firm asking if they are aware of any fraud within the District.  This is a routine letter sent each year to two Board Members as part of the auditing process. 
  • Short-Term Rental:  A letter was received from SLC Planning asking if the CLWSD had any objection to the Sweet Short-Term Rental.  A motion was made by D, Congdon, supported by B. Caughey, that the proposal may be issued as proposed.  All voted in favor and the motion carried.
  • Copy & Information Request Policy:  The Board reviewed their options for copy and information requests.  Mia Thibodeau of Fryberger advised that the Board may charge 25 cents per sheet (includes labor) for copy requests and the actual expense incurred for other labor requests as is legally permitted.

Joint Powers Board

  • JPB Update:  R. Scott was not present to report.
  • S.E.H. Engineering Update  
  • District Updates:  Jason Chopp provided the following report:  WWTF EQ ProjectA progress meeting was held on March 24.  An update of work to date and remaining work was discussed.  Rachel Contracting plans on mobilizing in early May to restart and finish construction.  The next progress meeting is scheduled for April 21 to discuss an updated construction schedule and coordination of tie in work, etc.  VNP Visitors Center and Campground Project – RV Park bids were higher than anticipated and the bids were rejected. SEH is modifying the bidding documents on the RV Park and the project will be re-advertised for bid through St. Louis County in April.

CLWSD Meeting Minutes – April 5, 2023

O & M. (Decentralized)

  • Management Program Update:  A report of current ISTS activity was presented to the Board. 
  • Dill Bear Island property quote:  The quote received came in higher than expected.  The Board is researching why.  The County will visit the site this spring to review options to reduce the cost.  The quote received will not be awarded at present.  The Dill’s have a functioning operating system and are OK with temporarily putting the project on hold.
  • ISTS Sewer Access Charge:  The Board reviewed the current access charge of $7,500 plus any amount in excess of $30,000 being paid by the property owner for ISTS installation and agreed that the base of $30,000 needed to be adjusted due to current material cost increases.  A motion was made by M. Anderson, supported by B. Caughey, to change Ordinance 3, 11.03 ISTS Sewer Access Charge as follows:  “A property owner who has entered into a contract with the Board for the design, construction, installation and maintenance of an ISTS (“ISTS Construction and Managed System Agreement”) shall pay a Sewer Access Charge of $7,500 to address the capital cost to design, construct, and install the ISTS on the property; provided that if the actual cost to the Board to design, construct and install the ISTS exceeds $40,000, the property owner shall pay all costs in excess of $40,000 for the design, construction and installation of the ISTS.”  M. Anderson and B. Caughey voted in favor, D. Congdon abstained; and the motion carried.
  • Rate Study:  B. Caughey continues to work on the project.
  • Yearly O&M Review:  A motion was made by M. Anderson, supported by B. Caughey, for District staff to review ISTS’s annually with a letter sent to customers advising of review time.  All voted in favor and the motion carried.

O & M Update (Centralized)

  • Operations Report:  Rob Scott Jr. provided the following reports: (March) We met all the MPCA effluent limits for the month of January.  The plant is operating well, and the inflow flow in volume is moderate. The influent water temp at the plant was 40 degrees last weekend so it hasn’t dropped much since last month.  There is an upcoming construction meeting next week to schedule the completion work to finish the hook up of the EQ and Settling tanks once it warms up. (April) We met all the MPCA effluent limits for the month of February.  The plant is operating well, and the inflow flow is volume is moderate. The influent water temp at the plant was 39 degrees last weekend so it hasn’t dropped much this last month.  We had a progress meeting on March 24th with SEH and Rachel to schedule and coordinate the completion work to finish the hook up of the EQ and Settling tanks. Weather permitting, they plan on being on site by mid-May and have everything wrapped up by mid-June. We have another meeting towards the end of April so we should know more on their start date by then.
  • D. Tufte RV Site & Twp. RV Site:  See above S.E.H. Engineering Update.  
  • Job Descriptions:  B. Caughey and D. Congdon are working on the draft job descriptions.  The Board discussed.

Public Comment:  There was none.

The meeting was adjourned at 2:45PM

Jo Ann Pohlman, Clerk

NEXT MEETING:   Board of Manager’s Meeting – May 3, 2023, 1:00PM, Fellowship Hall

This draft of the CLWSD minutes has been posted solely for preliminary informational purposes.  Minutes are unofficial and subject to change until they have been approved by the CLWSD Board of Managers.

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Crane Lake Water & Sanitary District
P.O. Box 306 · Crane Lake, Minnesota 55725
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