Damage to lawns by early winter snowplowing was a major concern expressed at Hutchinson Township’s annual meeting on Tuesday.
A township resident complained to the town board that a snowplow had damaged his lawn and many other lawns in December. Supervisor Brent Uecker said the ground was still soft when the first snowplowing took place, and he had received numerous complaints of lawns being damaged.
Uecker said it is unlikely that the snowplow operator, a private contractor, will repair lawns that were ripped up. He said most damage occurred in the right of way, and the contractor is not liable for reseeding lawns in the easement.
In other business, McLeod County Board Member Joe Nagel said the route for a proposed northeast ring road in Hutchinson Township is no closer to being finalized. The County Board is still trying to decide if the ring road is necessary.
Township residents voted to increase the road levy by $20,000 to replace two culverts under Common Street. The culverts are roughly 1 mile east of State Highway 15. Repair costs will be shared by Collinwood Township in Meeker County.
Residents also held elections for two positions. Incumbent Supervisor Craig Powell won reelection over challenger Kelly Cummings by a 74-20 vote, and incumbent Clerk Craig Schmeling ran unopposed.
Marc Telecky, the county’s environmental services director, said the county is working with townships to reduce the number of recycling drop-off sites. The goal is to have four in addition to the site on Fifth Avenue Southeast in Hutchinson. The other four will tentatively be in Winsted, Stewart-Brownton, Acoma-Lynn Township along County Road 115 and in downtown Glencoe. There is no recycling bin in Hutchinson Township.
Attendance at the meeting was the highest in recent memory, with more than 35 residents present.
