Meeting was called to order at 8:15 p.m.
Pledge of Allegiance

Nomination of Moderator:
Kay Jacobs nominated Mark Helmer, Mark accepted this nomination. Bill Aho nominated Phil Strom, Phil declined the nomination. Motion was made to accept Mark Helmer as moderator, seconded. Request was made for a hand count. Yes: 102 No: 2 Motion passed to accept Mark Helmer as moderator.

Approval of Minutes from Annual Meeting 2003
Lars Fladmark made a motion to accept the minutes as presented, Bill Cox seconded. Motion passed.

Call for Bank of Deposit – currently Wells Fargo
Treasurer Janet Johansen recommended a change of bank of deposit from Wells Fargo to Lake State Bank. Janet made a motion to use Lake Bank as our bank of deposit, Jeff Cook seconded. Motion passed.

Call for Newspaper of Publication – currently Duluth News Tribune
John Kessler made a motion to approve the Duluth News Tribune as newspaper of publication, Kay Jacobs seconded. Motion passed.

Call for official posting places
Prudence Cameron made a motion to keep the Town Hall, Scenic Café, South Recycling Center, Fire Hall #1 and the North Shore Community center as our official posting places, Bill Aho seconded. Motion passed.

Presentation of Budgets
Audit Report – Page 2 of the Annual Meeting packet
Kay Jacobs made a motion to accept the audit report for 2003 Babs Strom seconded. Motion passed.

Police Department – Presented by Chief Shawn Padden. Proposed budget $37,974.00
Bill Aho made a motion to make the Police Department Budget $0, Arthur Rose seconded. A hand count was requested. Yes: 3 No: 101 Motion failed. John Kessler made a motion to expand the Police Department with the addition of one 20 hour per month officer, Linda Beaty seconded.

Question:    Rodney Johnson asked for the additional cost of one officer.
Answer:      Approximately $7,000.00
Question:   How can we get the police officers home phone numbers if we have a problem.
Answer:      Call 911 if it is an emergency otherwise please leave a message at the town hall (218) 525-5705 an officer will contact you.

Phil Strom called the question. All in favor of the question to limit discussion on the motion, all approved. Motion to hire one additional officer for 20 hours, hand count was requested. Yes: 65 No: 54 Motion passed. Janet Johansen made a motion to accept the police department budget, with an increase of $7,000.00 for the additional officer, Kay Jacobs seconded.

Question:   Bill Aho asked the motion be held until an absolute amount was decided upon.
Answer:      Motion stated $7,000.00

Motion passed. Police Department budget as moved and increased: $44,974.00

Fire Department – Presented by Chief Jerry Simmons. Proposed budget of $53,969.94.
Dick Erlander made a motion to accept the budget, Larry Mattson seconded. Motion passed.
Fire Department budget as moved and approved $53,969.94.

General Township – Presented by Supervisor Jeff Cook. Proposed budget of $84,130.00. Peggy Dahlberg made a motion to accept the general township budget as presented, Linda Beaty seconded. Phil Strom made an amendment to the motion on the floor to include $10,000.00 specifically to offset lawn care and snowplowing for the community center, Dave Sundberg seconded. Peggy Dahlberg accepted this as a friendly amendment to her motion.

Question: Corlis West asked if it would it be possible to make a permanent change in the lease to avoid this issue again.

Bill Aho called the question. All in favor of the question to limit discussion on the motion, all approved. Vote on the $10,000.00 amendment to the general township budget. Amendment passed. Vote on the motion to approve the general township budget. Motion passed.
General Township Budget as amended, moved and approved $94,130.00.

Planning and Zoning - Presented by Administrator Wayne Dahlberg. Proposed budget of $12,000.00.
David Williams made a motion to accept the budget as presented. Norbert Norman seconded. Motion passed.
Planning and Zoning budget as moved and approved $12,000.00.

Cemetery – Cemetery Supervisor George Sundstrom (absent). Budget presented by Supervisor Jeff Cook. Proposed budget of $4,000.00.
Phil Strom made a motion to accept the budget as presented, Arthur Rose seconded. Motion passed.
Cemetery budget as moved and approved $4,000.00

Road and Bridge – Road and Bridge Supervisor Bruce Aho (absent). Budget presented by Supervisor Jeff Cook. Proposed budget $50,000.00.
Steve Salakka made a motion to approve the budget as presented, Bill Aho seconded. Motion passed.
Road and Bridge budget $50,000.00.

Motion to approve the entire budget

Police Department	$4,4974.00
Fire Department	$53,969.94
General Township	$94,130.00
Planning & Zoning	$12,000.00
Cemetery	$ 4,000.00
Road & Bridge	$50,000.00
Sub Total	$259,073.94
** 5%	$12,953.70
Total Budget	$272,027.64

**In 2003 Governor Pawlenty withheld 2% of our Levy request, in 2004 Governor Pawlenty will withhold 3% of our Levy request giving us a two year shortfall of 5%. Prudence Cameron made a motion to accept the budget of $272,027.64, Lars Fladmark seconded. Motion passed.

Set time and date for the 2005 Annual Town meeting.
John Kessler made a motion to approve the 2005 Annual Town Meeting date of March 8, 2005 8:15 p.m., Kay Jacobs seconded. Motion passed.

Set date for a continuation of the Annual Town Meeting. Phil Strom made a motion to set the time and date for a continuation of the Annual Town meeting, in the event such a meeting is necessary, at 8:00 p.m. August 10th, continuation of the meeting is to be held at the Community Center, Jeff Marino seconded. Tim Strom made an amendment to the motion of “if the town board feels such a meeting is necessary”, Kay Jacobs seconded the amendment. Phil considered this a friendly amendment to his motion. Motion passed.

Election Results 528 ballots were cast

Concerns from the Audience

• Stephen Dahl made a motion to move the monthly town board meetings from 7:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., Janet Johansen seconded. Motion passed.
• Seth Levanen introduced the following petition: We the undersigned residents and/or Land Owners of Duluth Township Mn, oppose the draft zoning ordinance for the Town of Duluth, dated January 13, 2004 as written. It is our desire that there be a referendum that allows the residents and land owners of Duluth Township to choose between the following: 1. Adopt St. Louis County Minnesota Ordinance # 46 2. Adopt the “Draft” zoning ordinance after all public hearings and revisions. Petition was presented to the Clerk. Discussion from Attorney Tim Strom; “The zoning ordinance is an ordinance”. The town board amends, creates or adopts ordinances. It is ultimately the town board decision to amend or not amend an ordinance.
• Bruce Lindberg, it is the practice of the town board to have the planning and zoning board interview residents for vacant positions on their board and make a recommendation to the Town Board for their approval. He feels it is a conflict of interest for the Planning and Zoning board to choose their members. Bruce Lindberg made a motion that we recommend to the town board that they do the interview and selection process, Phil Strom seconded. Motion passed.
  Question: Could the interview process not be quite so public?
  Answer: All board meetings are public meetings, the interview would also have to be public.
• Shirley Duke expressed her appreciation to everyone who worked on the Steering Committee and Planning and Zoning commission for the past few years.
  This meeting is closed not adjourned. 10:53 p.m.