25 04 15 Annual Meeting Minutes
- townofoulu
- 4 days ago
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The April 15, 2025 Town of Oulu annual meeting was called to order at 6:30 p.m. at the town hall by Jonathan Hamilton, Chairman.
The annual meeting notice was posted at the Town Hall and town website on April 2, 2025.
Chair Hamilton stated voting will be conducted by a show of hands.
Motion by Duane Reijo, second by Mike Davidson to approve the minutes of the April 16, 2024 annual meeting and December 6, 2024 special meeting of the electors as presented. Yes: 8. No: None. Abstain: 0. Motion carried by a show of hands.
Motion by Ed Burhans, second by Adam Mattson 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 Duane Reijo, second by Ed Burhans to accept the financial statement as presented. Yes: 9. No: None. Abstain: 0. Motion carried by a show of hands.
Chairman’s Report:
Park
Upgrading main ball field infrastructure
New bench installed in home dugout
Front side of concession stand was repaired and resheeted
Made repairs on pavilion resheeting, painting
Paint & stain all structures & picnic tables, removed unsound/unsafe structures
Supervisor Mattson has been working on finding grants to install new outhouses and playground equipment
Cemetery
Trees were trimmed, mowing completed
Town Hall
Removed old rotting machinery from behind town hall and garage, stripped down as appropriate so pieces could be recycled
Town Hall front doors were removed and replaced, trim was painted, ramp was repaired
Door latch was replaced on town hall inner door so it closes and is handicapped accessible
Recycling Center
Clean -up was completed by Core Advantage they removed ~9 dumpsters of trash, metal, appliances etc. and did it under budget
Recycling trailer was purchased and outfitted with sides for placement at the center
Recycling center was reorganized, i.e. pad built for appliances and tires, repurposed old gates for division of appliances and tires in designated areas
Bermed and placed stones to mitigate trespassing and theft
New gates were installed and working well
Signage banners have been ordered to provide better direction to residents of what can be accepted at the recycling center and during what dates. These changes had to be made to stay in line with current statutes and vendor restrictions on materials and costs charged to town for items.
This same information is posted on the Town website
We are trying to keep costs neutral or as close to neutral as possible.
The Town asks the residents assistance to abide by these rules, the Town has no control over statutes, only the duty to follow them.
Road Maintenance
Continued laying gravel and grading on town roads
174 loads of gravel laid on roads including stockpile for spring
8 loads - Bayfield Line Road
1 load - Eastview Road
5 loads - Elonen Road
4 loads - Erkilla Road – East
4 loads - Erkilla Road - West
3 loads - Goetsch Road
4 loads - Hautala Road
7 loads - Hoffengartner Road
4 loads - Hokkanen Road
6 loads - Hollander Road
10 loads - Hoover Line Road – North
9 loads - Hoover Line Road – South of Wayne Holly’s
16 loads - Muskeg Road
8 loads - Waataja Road
5 loads - Wallin Road
36 loads - North Hissa Road - East
7 loads - North Hissa Road – West
5 loads - Oulu Pedersen Road
2 loads Oulu Pioneer Road
5 loads - Range Line Road
8 loads - Rankinson Road – West
2 loads - Taipale Road
4 loads - West Colby Road
11 loads Stockpiled
Continued to gravel shoulders and by mail boxes and turns.
5 culverts were replaced on Airport Road. These will be patched summer of 2025
Culverts replaced on
Wallin Road
Hollander Road
Muskeg & Eastview Roads
Grants:
Oulu was part of a pilot project developed by the WTA and the State DOT to help small, rural Towns better compete for grant funds. The program provided a consultant, Emmer Shields, to assist with the grant application and submission. The LRIP grant was submitted for Airport Road from Cty B north to Kaukamo Rd. The project was chosen #1 for repair in Bayfield County and by the state selection board. With the help of Weyandt Engineering and Emmer Shields, The Town was awarded the LRIP grant in the amount of ~ $985,000. Engineering is nearing completion and bid documents are ready for release in fall of 2025 with construction to begin as early as possible in 2026.
The original plan was to start construction in 2025 but delays in engineering meant the bids would have gone out late in the spring with no guarantee the project could have been completed over the short construction season. The board thought it best to push the construction to 2026 to have the best possibility of a completed project in one season with the least financial burden to the town
Other completed projects:
North Hissa Road ditching app 1.25 miles ditched, with gravel lift, power poles moved, radius completed on Airport Rd, trees removed in right of way
6-20-foot bridge/culvert inventory for State was completed and submitted
Town of Oulu culvert inventory and documentation is on-going
Spot ditching in various places by town crew to open flow thru culverts and improve ditch run on middle Hoover line, County Line Road in collaboration with Town of Cloverland
Eastview Road - dug out sand traps, placed gravel and graded
“Relocated” 6 beaver on Muskeg and Eastview Roads. broke out dams and cleaned our culverts
Motion by Margie Lahti, second by Duane Reijo to designate Security State Bank as the town depository. Yes: 9. No: None. Abstain: 0. Motion carried by a show of hands.
Motion by Duane Reijo, second by Ed Burhans to appoint Bonnie Rantala, Marjorie Lahti and Leanna Pudas to the audit committee. Yes: 9. No: None. Abstain: 0. Motion carried by a show of hands.
Motion by Mike Davidson, second by Ed Burhans to set the 2026 annual meeting date for Tuesday, April 21, 2026. Yes: 9. No: None. Abstain: 0. Motion carried by a show of hands.
Motion by Jon Hamilton to adjourn. Meeting adjourned at 6:48pm.
Respectfully submitted,
Diana Reijo, Clerk
Note: Minutes posted at Oulu Hall and Town website on April 19, 2025.