Draft- Annual Meeting Minutes 3/11/25
Evergreen Township Annual Meeting Minutes 2025
The Evergreen Township Annual Meeting was held March 11, 2025 at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church at 13084 County Hwy 39. Present was: Ross Hetherington(FFD), Betty Janke, Scott Ulschmid, Todd & Rana Holmer, Brett & Erica Jepson, Jeff Janke(Pioneer Grounds), Judy Drewes & Dwight Drewes.
The clerk called the meeting to order and requested a nomination of a moderator.Scott nominated Dwight Drewes and Todd second. All present in favor. The agenda was updated again this year to let the guests speak first.
Ross reported there was 4 calls in Evergreen in 2024, which were a car accident, 2 power lines down and a grass fire. They are still looking for more volunteers to join the department and have expanded the miles you live from town, so even someone from our area could join. They did 1422 hours of training and 1562 hours on call in 2024. There was a total of 83 calls in 20243, which was up from 79 in 2023. Received a 2024 ARMER Grant of $40,000 to put towards purchasing 10 new Motorola Radios. They were thanked for their service to our township. The Frazee Rescue Squad sent a letter that Rana read. They had 4 calls to our township in 2024 and back up Wolf Lake Rescue when needed. Neighbor to Neighbor also sent a letter requesting donations. They don’t officially service our township, but are starting to get requests.
The minutes from the Annual Meeting in 2024 were read by the clerk. Todd motion to approve the minutes, second by Scott. All present in favor. The treasurer gave her report of all monies received, all monies paid out, and all monies on hand in savings and checking. Balance on hand as of December 31, 2024 is $205,101.23. Todd made a motion to accept the treasurer’s report. Second by Brett. All present in favor.
Road & Bridge: Todd motioned to leave the levy to $90,000, but table the final levy approval to the September 8, 2025 regular meeting. Brett second and all present in favor. In 2024 we installed Fire Hydrant signs on County Hwy 39 and 120th ST. We purchased the signs and the County installed them free of charge. Installed weight limit signs on all remaining roads. These signs seem to make people think twice before driving on our roads with heavy equipment. Pulled shoulders in in the Spring. Graveled Cedar(1 mile), 440th Ave from Hwy 87 to 100th St (3 miles), East portion of 120th St (1 mile by Rux’s), did small portion on dead end road by Bonnie Korth’s. This year we also did try some gravel from the Toad Lake Pit. We sprayed brush & noxious weeds in the right-of -way of all roads. Possible projects for 2025 are to gravel the Fire Rd. 460th Ave (3 miles) and spray brush & noxious weed in the right- of-way of all roads.
Fire & Rescue: Todd made a motion to raise the levy to $22,500 second by Brett. All present in favor. Todd motion to leave the donations to Wolf Lake Rescue to $2000 and Frazee Rescue to $1000. Second by Brett. All present in favor.
General Revenue: Todd motion to leave the levy at $30,000. Second by Scott. All present in favor.
Gophers: Todd motion to leave the levy at $6,000. Second by Scott. All present in favor.
Todd motion to leave the bounty at $3.00 with a landowner signature if the trapper is not a resident of Evergreen. Second by Brett. All present in favor.
Newspaper: Scott motion to leave it with the Frazee Forum. Second by Brett. All present in favor.
Postings: Leave the same with postings at the Town Hall and the Clerk’s house. Motion by Scott, second by Rana. We will need to make a new posting area once the Townhall is moved. All present in favor.
Meetings: Todd motion to leave the meeting times and locations the same. Second by Brett. All present in favor. All meetings at St Paul’s Lutheran Church at 7 p.m. on 2nd Monday of the month.
Annual Meeting Location & Time: Scott motion to leave the meeting at 7 p.m. at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church on 2nd Tuesday of March. Second by Brett. 2026 Meeting is on March 10th. All present in favor.
Chairman Position: Scott motion for Todd to continue as Chairman, Brett second.
Old Business: None
New business: Jeff Janke got approval from Perham & the Park Board to move the Townhall to the Pioneer Grounds. They were quoted $11,500 for the moving cost. They have received some donations towards the moving and are planning some fundraisers to move and restore the building back to a schoolhouse. They will moving it when the fundsare secured and the movers are available. Once it is in place at the Pioneer grounds, Perham will own it. There will be a sign noting that the building was donated by our township. He also asked about the outhouse and we will donate that with the hall. Todd motion that we donate $5000 from our Road & bridge to help with moving the Townhall. Brett second. Due to a low snow winter we have extra funds in that budget to clean up the foundation as well after it is moved.
Todd also did a brief presentation on the noxious weeds we are seeing in our township. Mostly see thistle, Spotted Knapweed which kills other plants around it and takes over a field, it blooms purple in June. Common Tansy mostly on east side of township but is toxic in large quantities to many livestock like horses, it blooms August with a yellow flower. Wild Parsnip which can cause 3rd degree burns if the sap touches your skin, it has small yellow flowers and looks similar to dill. If anyone sees a plant they are unfamiliar with that they think could be one of these weeds please call and we will come check it out.
Todd motioned to adjourn for tonight and revisit the road and bridge on September 8, 2025 to set that levy. Second by Scott. All present in favor.
Respectfully submitted,
Rana Holmer, Clerk