The township has been using the disc to rebuild the shoulders on some of the roads in the township. It could buy the machine for $4,500.
In his report, supervisor John Atwood recommended renting the disc as needed. Atwood repeatedly stressed that county engineers and supervisors from other townships told him that the optimum time to disc was in the early spring before the grass starts to grow.
After watching the disc, Atwood thought it worked fine on bare dirt but created clumps in sod.
Fellow supervisor Warren Nehring, who has been supervising the maintenance worker as he discs, agreed that the best time to rebuild the ditches has passed, but said the need to rebuild the ditches was urgent.
Nehring argued that the township has trouble renting by the week because its part-time staff can't disc all the ditches in a week. He thought the ditches needed reshouldering more than once this year.
The deciding opinion seemed to come from township resident Virgil Kulzer, who works for the state. Kulzer said the state has only one disc in an area from Buffalo to Paynesville. He thought the township wouldn't be able to use the disc enough to get its money's worth.
Recycling
The township board approved having its attorney draft a contract for recycling pickup in the township. The service would be provided by West Central Sanitation to interested residents on a voluntary basis.
The proposal by West Central Sanitation is for twice a month pick-up for residents who are on the garbage route. The cost for recycling pickup would be $1.75 per month.
West Central would handle the billing and promotion, but the township would provide containers using SCORE funds, a county grant. The township would also give West Central an exclusive market for recycling pickup in the township.
"I've had positive feedback," said board chairman Don Pietsch. "People who want to recycle think it's a great deal."
Once the contract is written, it would need to be approved by the board before taking effect.
Other business
•A township supervisor will be driving the snowplowing route with a local businessman who is interested in purchasing the township's plow and acquiring the route. The supervisors felt the township should advertise the route for bids if they decide to contract for plowing. Contracts in excess of $10,000 requires quotes, and in excess of $25,000 requires bids.
•Pietsch will be contacting the county for some preliminary survey work on more storm water projects. The township, with the aid of the Koronis Lake Association and the North Fork of the Crow River Watershed District, completed four projects last year.
The township bought land on the hill along Crest Ridge Road for a holding pond, and Pietsch contacted the land owner on the lake side to see if he wanted the water piped under his property. The land owner preferred having the water flow over his property.
"I did say that we would not be dumping more water than presently," said Pietsch. "In fact, by creating that holding pond, we would actually slow the flow of water."
Other areas will also be investigated for possible projects.
•The board authorized Pietsch to purchase new township signs. The signs, which welcome motorists into the township, are located where roads enter the township.
The board felt the signs needed upgrading because many are fading and because they say the township offers building permits. Actually, the township only has site permits.