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Chisago Lake Township’s annual meeting was March 12. Eleven people attended the meeting. John Nelson was elected the moderator.

The meeting began at 8:15pm after the polls closed and ballots were counted.  Treasurer Judy Straub opened the meeting with the treasury report.  

Straub said receipts in 2023 totalled $2,685,734.15 while disbursements totaled $2,167,180.94.  Balances at the end of 2023 were: Checking $1,828,767.96, Savings $806,197.24, CD’s $310,619.07, and EE Bonds $90,000. Total balance is $3,035,584.27.  

Supervisor Sherry Stirling then gave an update on the levy.  Stirling told the audience the levy was increasing by only $40,000 which would increase the road and bridge fund from $400,000 to $440,000. The audience then voted unanimously to approve the 2025 proposed levy  for $1,729,000.  

Maintenance supervisor Matt Wikelius gave the road report.  Wikelius told the audience his maintenance department has two full time and one part time employees.   Wikelius said they take care of 40 miles of asphalt roads and 35 miles of gravel within the township.  

Wikelius said they plowed one and a half times this winter and he has already notified the state the township will not need salt for next winter.

Wikelius said the road grader the township has purchased will be delivered any day. He noted the grader is paid for in full.

He then listed some spring and summer projects including 253rd Street, Wallmark Lake Drive, Lake Lane, Newman Trail and Panola Drive.

Jill Behnke representing Chisago Lakes Tourism Bureau, and who is Center City Mayor, then gave a brief speech on a lodging tax of three percent.  Behnke noted that almost all of the communities in the Chisago Lakes School District have adopted the tax program,  which provides five percent of total lodging tax collected back to the township (city) where the site is located. Remaining revenues would fund advertising and support tourism in the area. The lodging tax would be three percent and would be collected from state health department sanctioned motels, bed and breakfasts and campgrounds. Currently the township has a couple of businesses that fit that criteria.  

Supervisors later voted to adopt the lodging tax and the affected businesses will be notified. 

The next annual meeting was set for March 11, 2025.

** Election totals were:  25 voters took part with Dave Reed receiving 25 votes for supervisor, and Jeanette Peterson receiving 25 votes for township clerk. 

The ballot had one question asking if businesses in the township should be allowed to sell liquor on Sundays, which is authorized.  The County Board has discussed and supports Sunday liquor being included in township zoning ordinances.  Supervisors know of one site, Abella’s Wedding Barn, which wants the Sunday sales authorization; but any location that applies and meets liquor sales conditions could pursue this.  Supervisor Sherry Stirling said the issue has been on the radar for a while, but this 2024 annual meeting was the first opportunity to hold a vote.  Nineteen people voted in favor of the question with five opposed.

The audience then approved raising the bounty for pocket gophers to $3 and to leave striped gopher bounties at $1. 

Clerk Peterson said the township had no gopher payouts in 2023.

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