MINUTES
REGULAR MEETING
PALMER TOWNSHIP
March 9th 2026
The regular meeting of the Palmer Township Board was called to order at 7:00 p.m. at the Palmer Township Hall, with Chairman Ganz, Supervisor Wipper, and Amy Bragelman, Township Clerk. Treasurer Roger Johnson joined the meeting remotely. The meeting was opened with the Pledge of Allegiance.
Treasurer’s Report: Treasurer Roger Johnson read the balances from the Treasurer's report. Chairman Ganz made a motion to approve the Treasurer’s Report. Supervisor Wipper seconded the motion. The motion carried unanimously.
Sheriff’s Report: Captain Ben Zawacki presented the Sheriff’s Office Annual Report. He provided an overview of key topics, including total calls for service over the past three years, notable criminal activity in 2025, department retirements, and updates on K-9 units and deputy staffing. He also discussed the Drug Task Force, community involvement efforts, upcoming projects, implementation of the RAVE alert system in schools, and throughout Sherburne County. For a complete copy of the Sheriff’s Office 2025 Annual Report presentation, residents may contact the Palmer Township Clerk during regular business hours. Residents inquired about ways to prevent thefts from fish houses. Captain Zawacki advised not leaving valuables or items of importance in fish houses, noting the current increase in theft activity. He also encouraged residents to report any suspicious activity to the Sheriff’s Office.
Road Maintenance/Signs: Chairman Ganz reported that there was minimal activity to report on roads. Plows were not deployed during the past month. However, potholes are developing and increasing in size due to ongoing freeze–thaw conditions, which continue to impact road conditions.
Fire Department: Chief Lunser presented the fire report for 2/1/2026 through 2/28/2026. There were 13 calls for service: 5 for Palmer Township, 4 medical, and 1 Trauma. The Board recognized Matt Lunser as the new Fire Chief and congratulated him on his appointment. It was reported that the City of Clear Lake is updating its website and has established a new official email address for the Fire Chief, fd.chief@clearlakemn.com, to ensure continuity for future personnel.
Chief Lunser noted that the department is currently staffed with 23 volunteer firefighters and continues to seek additional volunteers.
A resident inquired whether individuals are billed for service calls. Chief Lunser stated that billing does not typically occur unless a fire is determined to be non-compliant with permit requirements or was conducted without a valid permit. Residents are not billed for a medical call because they don’t transport people; the ambulance would be responsible for that.
P.E.C.: Chairman Ganz reported that Cleanup Day is scheduled for May 2 from 7:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. The Board will discuss potential fee increases for large trailers at the April meeting, as these account for the majority of current cost losses.
Park Report: Chairman Ganz reported that the park has been relatively quiet this time of year. Ski trails were usable for approximately one week. The Township plans to begin cleanup of oak areas once conditions dry; however, the limited time window to prevent oak wilt makes scheduling challenging.
No updates were reported for Two Inlets Park. Further discussion will take place at the April meeting.
Lake Reports:
Shelly Alger-Peyton reported that the BLCA has approximately eighty members to date. Palmer directories are expected to be distributed at the end of May, with Dave Mayers serving as the contact for any corrections.
Final reports and management recommendations from Carp Solutions were recently received and are now available on the website. The Association will discuss the next steps.
The next meeting is scheduled for Saturday, March 14, at 8:30 a.m. at the Township Hall.
Barb Aberg reported on behalf of the T-LID that most of the carp population is older and no longer reproducing. There are over 18,000 Carp. Barb also added that this was the first year that the T-lid was not awarded any DNR grants. This will not impact the T-LID budget, as grant funding is not included in their budget projections.
Approval of Minutes: Supervisor Wipper made a motion to approve the February minutes. Chairman Ganz seconded, and the motion carried.
COMMENTS/QUESTIONS:
A resident inquired about responsibility for ensuring that residents obtain IUPs when operating a business from their home. Chairman Ganz stated that this falls under Sherburne County zoning jurisdiction.
Supervisor Wipper made a motion to approve claims #26036- #26050, plus Conexus, Frontier, and WH Security for $7,800.15. Chairman Ganz seconded, and the motion carried.
Chairman Ganz made a motion to adjourn. Supervisor Wipper seconded, and the motion was carried. The meeting adjourned at 7:44 p.m.
Amy Bragelman, Palmer Township Clerk, approved as reviewed on April 13th, 2026.