CRANE LAKE WATER & SANITARY DISTRICT (CLWSD)

BOARD OF MANAGERS’ REGULAR MEETING

Crane Lake Visitor Center

Wednesday, June 4, 2025 – 1:00 PM

The meeting was called to order at 1:03PM

Members present: Mark Anderson, Bonnie Caughey, Deena Congdon, and Rob Scott. Also present: Maintenance Worker Jeff Truebenbach and Clerk/Treasurer Jo Ann Pohlman.

Members absent:  Darrell Scott.

Minutes: A motion was made by M. Anderson, supported by D. Congdon, to approve the minutes of the 5/7/25 Regular Meeting.  All voted in favor and the motion carried.

Correspondence:  The correspondence list was reviewed by the Board.  A motion was made by B. Caughey, 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 April 2025 Financial Statements to the Board. May 2025 payroll:  Admin – $2,234.00 & Operating – $9,838.00.  Payroll Taxes:  PERA – $1,294.79, Fed Dep. – $2,069.82, & MN Dep. – $352.00.  The 2024 Audit is complete and has been sent to the Board.  $6,497.89 was transferred from Debt Service Savings to Operating Checking for the MPCA-CWP Loan payment.  A motion was made by M. Anderson, supported by R. Scott, to accept the Treasurer’s Report as presented and to approve the bills as follows:  Admin – $1,372.00, Legacy Fund/ARPA Fund – $250.00, & Operating – $13,609.39.  All voted in favor and the motion carried.

Funding Balances:  The balances were reviewed with the Board. The MPCA-CWP Loan was decreased by $6,497.89.

Levy Considerations (Admin/Operations): The Board is reviewing their account distribution within the District funds with the advice of their accountants.  A motion was made by R. Scott, supported by B. Caughey, to use Administrative Funds to pay Expenses where appropriate and when needed.   All voted in favor and the motion carried.

Administration

• Rate Study:  There was no action.
• Board Requirement (Options):  The Board Member requirement has been reduced from 5 to 3.  Mia Thibodeau, of Fryberger Law is being consulted for this Board’s options.
• Blaeser Letter:  A letter from the Blaesers was received requesting a change in the billing for their side of a duplex owned by an Owners’ Association.  The Board agreed that the issue should be taken up with the Owners’ Association and that the District should continue with the billing as is.
• SLC Land Use Permit Application: A proposed land use permit application for the SPVR property was received. A motion was made by D. Congdon, supported by M. Anderson, that the proposal may be issued as proposed. D. Congdon, M. Anderson and B. Caughey voted in favor, R. Scott abstained, and the motion carried.

Joint Powers Board

• State and Federal Grant Funding:  1.5 million has been approved by the Clean Water Council, per the JPB request. The amount that Crane Lake will receive is $600,000 over the next two years to continue the ISTS program and other related projects.

S.E.H. Engineering Update 

• District Update:  There was no update needed.

O & M. (Decentralized)

• Management Program Update:  The June 2025 Expansion Report was reviewed with the Board.
• Yearly O&M Review:  B. Caughey is reviewing the list with SLC to see if some can be deferred to 2025 due to little use.  Coordination with Orton Construction’s required reviews will be considered.
• Schwanke Outpost Addendum:  A motion was made by R. Scott, supported by M. Anderson, to approve and sign an addendum to the Schwanke Outpost ISTS Agreement regarding responsibility delineation.  All voted in favor and the motion carried.
• Paul Tufte Property:  A water collection issue at the Crane Lake Road Tufte property needs to be addressed.  The Contractor and Design Consultant will be contacted to arrive at a solution.
• Property Purchase-ISTS Offer:  Communication with a local realtor will continue as to the best way to present the CLWSD ISTS Program offer.
• ISTS Requests Outside District Boundaries:  The Board is reviewing a standard response, to include current information as well, for requests for ISTS’s outside the District’s boundaries.
• Admin Fee:  The Board is looking at ways to include an Administrative Fee for those property owners outside the District boundaries with CLWSD ISTS’s to equalize fees paid by those within the District boundaries.

CLWSD Meeting Minutes –June 4, 2025

O & M Update (Centralized) (Cont.)

• Operations Report:  Rob Scott Jr. provided the following report: We met all the MPCA effluent limits for the month of April.  The plant is operating well. The influent volume is at normal summer levels.
• Maintenance Facility:  J. Truebenbach will look into purchase of two storage containers to adapt for maintenance equipment storage.  Estimated total cost would be up to $15,000.00.  J. Truebenbach will continue to organize items to be stored.
• Pumper Truck:  The muffler installation on the truck has been completed.  The tanks at the plant will be cleaned and hauling will begin.
• Lift Station:  J. Truebenbach said that the breaker at the lift station is being tripped quite often.  Jeff will ask Art Driggs to look at the electrical connections to remedy the situation.
• Employment:  There has been no response to date of the District’s request for maintenance workers.  Lance Ulen (now retired) will fill in for Jeff on his vacation from June 12 through June 21 and on this coming Saturday.
• Winterization/Summerization Process:  Summerization process has been completed.

Public Comments: There were none.

The meeting was adjourned at 2:05PM

Jo Ann Pohlman, Clerk

NEXT MEETING:   Board of Manager’s Meeting – July 2, 2025 – 1:00PM, Visitor Center

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.