The April 16, 2024 Town of Oulu annual meeting was called to order at 6:31 p.m. at the town hall by Jonathan Hamilton, Chairman.
The annual meeting notice was posted at the Town Hall on March 28, 2024 and town website on April 16, 2024.
Chair Hamilton stated voting will be conducted by a show of hands.
Motion by Mike Davidson, second by Ed Burhans to approve the minutes of the April 18, 2023 annual meeting and December 6, 2023 special meeting of the electors as presented. Yes: 8. No: None. Abstain: 0. Motion carried by a show of hands.
Motion by Margie Lahti, second by Kim Hamilton to dispense with the reading of the financial statement as everyone in attendance had a copy. Yes: 8 No: None. Abstain: 0. Motion carried by a show of hands.
Discussion followed. Motion by Kim Hamilton, second by Mike Davidson to accept the financial statement as presented. Yes: 8. No: None. Abstain: 0. Motion carried by a show of hands.
Chairman’s Report:
Park, Cemetery, Town Hall Update
Replaced doors and fixed the windows on town hall
Started updates on park
Removing old and unsafe equipment
Upgrading main ball field infrastructure
Bleacher benches removed, sanded, stained & replaced.
New bench in home dugout
Gravel on access road, and front of dugouts
Upcoming goals to get concession stand repaired and resheeted
Make repairs on pavilion resheeting, painting
Paint & stain all structures & picnic tables, remove unsound/unsafe structures, replace as money allows
Develop a comprehensive plan for the park to use in grant applications and better manage upkeep. Plan for eventual new town hall, toilets, etc.
Cemetery tree trimming on perimeter and inside has been completed
Recycling Center
We had to stop accepting metal, and appliances of any kind until it can get cleaned up.
Clean up has been contracted but not scheduled as of this writing. Estimated in next 2-4 weeks at the latest.
Gates have been contracted to be replaced but not yet scheduled. Estimated completion within next 2 weeks.
Plan to keep old gates for other projects TBD, possibly using them as delineators at center to make areas specific for metal, tires and appliances.
Restrictions on what recycling center will accept at dump and when to stay in line with current statutes and vendor restrictions on materials and costs charged to town for items. Trying to keep costs neutral or as close to neutral as possible.
Road Maintenance
Boulevard Road - pulverized, graveling and ditching is complete.
County Line - pulverizing, graveling, and ditching are complete. Culvert replaced, improving elevation and drainage in ditch.
Continued laying gravel and grading on town roads
Completed gravel shoulders and by mail boxes and turns.
Boom mowing for brush has been completed in ditch right of ways
New plow was received and installed on the truck. Worked amazing when there was enough snow to use it on
Grants:
LRIP grant was submitted for Airport Road County Highway B north to Kaukamo Road. This road was chosen # 1 for repair in Bayfield County and submitted to the state selection board. We have not heard on State award as of this writing.
Grants were resubmitted on Boulevard, County Line, and Oulu Rock Roads to Federal BIL grant, no word on these either. We will fund these through other grant sources as they become available and the town can afford to do them if BIL money does not come through.
We can apply for the Town Road Improvement Grant (TRI) in October for chip sealing Airport Road from the south border to County Highway B. This is a County awarded grant with limited funds for smaller maintenance projects.
Oulu did not receive the Entitlement portion of the local grant last year (awarded in October 2023 for 2024-2025 funding). These were selected at a CITRIC meeting held in Washburn. Bayfield County has twenty-five Towns and is limited to thirteen Town Projects each 2-year program cycle. Historically, much less than thirteen Towns have received projects each cycle. Preference has been given to Towns based on a ranking determined by program usage over previous years. The committee went down the list starting with #1, towns not present were passed over. Those present were asked to present their project and they were awarded money until the pot was empty. Oulu was # 12 on the list. They did not get to us before the money was gone. We should be eligible in 2024 for projects completed in 2025-2026.
The plan is to use this “Pot-O’-Money” for the chip sealing project on south Airport Road. At a 50/50 match it would bring the rough project cost of $70-$80K down to $35K-$40K for the town.
Gravel spread on roads as per list
3 loads Bayfield Line Rd
18 loads Erkkilla Rd
2 loads Goetsch Rd
5 loads Hokkanen Rd
3 loads Hollander Rd
4 loads Kaukamo Rd
6 loads Korpi Rd
9 loads Lauste Rd
20 loads N Hissa Rd
22 loads N Hoover Line Rd
9 loads N Muskeg Rd
1 loads Oulu Pioneer Rd
22 loads Pudas Rd
4 loads Range Line Rd
3 loads S Muskeg Rd
1 loads Town Garage
21 loads W Colby Rd
12 loads Waataja Rd
Upcoming projects for this year
North Hissa Road ditching
Culvert inventory for town and for State requirements. State is focused 6-20 feet in length for possible funding
Culvert replacement, as needed, on Airport in prep for chip sealing
Spot ditching to be completed in various places by town crew to open flow thru culverts and improve ditch run
Motion by Mike Davidson, second by Kim Hamilton to designate Security State Bank as the town depository. Yes: 8. No: None. Abstain: 0. Motion carried by a show of hands.
Motion by Kim Hamilton, second by Adam Mattson to appoint Bonnie Rantala, Leanna Pudas, Marla Lahti, to the audit committee. Yes: 8. No: None. Abstain: 0. Motion carried by a show of hands.
Motion by Margie Lahti, second by Mike Davidson to set the 2025 annual meeting date for Tuesday, April 15, 2025, beginning at 6:30pm. Yes: 8. No: None. Abstain: 0. Motion carried by a show of hands.
Motion by Adam Mattson, second by Mike Davidson to adjourn. Meeting adjourned at 6:46pm.
Respectfully submitted,
Diana Reijo, Clerk
Note: Minutes posted at Oulu Transfer Site, Oulu Pines, Town Hall and Town website on April 19, 2024.