On Saturday October 22nd at 10 am the unveiling of the Veteran
Memorial at Lakeview Township in Workman Township will be held. Several
prominent military officials will give short speeches commemorating our
military veterans. A color guard composed of veterans from Palisade
VFW, McGregor VFW and McGregor American Legion will present the flags
of the military. There also will be a musical tribute and possible
military flyover. More information on the event will be posted as
available.
Tamarack Water Alliance is a group of landowners in the area and across Minnesota who have voiced their serious concerns about the proposed Nickel-Sulfide Talon Metals Mine in Tamarack. Our concerns are based on careful assessment of Talon's PEA, a published legal document they are required to file with the Toronto Stock Exchange, published on their website https://talonmetals.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/Talon-Tamarack-PEA3_2021.pdf
Everyone who enjoys the rural leisure and water recreation in Aitkin County should be aware of what Talon proposes to do. Don't listen to their marketing hype which is biased to "sell" the mine. Sulfide mining is very different than iron mining. When sulfur contacts air and water it makes sulfuric acid, which is a slow leaching toxic chemical, dangerous to all life. It may take many years to occur, yet once it migrates into the groundwater it is there for hundreds maybe thousands of years. There is no way to remove it. Anytime a sulfide mine has been built in a water rich area, the water has been contaminated.
Talon plans to build an underground mine without filters on the vent stacks, so high sulfide particles will blow across the environment. Talon also plans to leave an above ground high sulfide tailings pile (CFTF) 75 acres wide by 82 ft. tall. Wind borne dust from the tailings pile will also be dispersed across the landscape. After mining operations cease in 12 years, Talon plans to simply cover and not remove this toxic pile. It is only a matter of time until the cover deteriorates and Tamarack becomes a toxic waste site that will require our tax dollars to be maintained forever. Finally, Talon also plans to pump 2.6 million gallons of water from our aquifers and has no solid plans to treat this toxic water, nor a plan for where this untreated water will go.
This is an irresponsible plan. It is like borrowing your neighbor's tool and returning it broken and dirty.
Workman Township does not take sides on this issue. If Talon Metals wishes to speak to the township board they will also be given the opportunity.
ROADS Culvert replacement and class 5 gravel to designated roads during
the month of August. The first roadside mowing of the year went without
any difficulty. The second cutting will be in late September.
Lakeview Cemetery Veteran Monument is at the granite company for
inscription. Exact date of completion is uncertain but we will keep you
informed. Thank you to all who donated to this beautiful monument. Our
Lakeview Cemetery looks very attractive, it is freshly mowed and both
the township and relatives of the deceased have added colorful flower
arrangements.
Cemetery Records: Progress is being made on placing all cemetery
records on our website and should be complete by July 31st. This update
will show those buried at Lakeview Cemetery, lots and plots sold, and
lots and plots available for sale. The records will also at some later
date the date of death for each person interned. This will be completed
over an extended period.
Grant received. Application for a $12,000 FEMA Grant to correct the
problems with the Mississippi flooding at the culvert by Wold farm on
Grouse Street was applied for and received. The road should be
corrected by August 1st.
Open positions for the township include supervisor 4-year term,
supervisor 2-year term (special election), four-year term clerk. Voters
will also vote on the ability to have the township supervisors hire a
clerk, treasurer, clerk/treasurer if there is a vacancy that can not be
filled in the township.
Workman Township has mail-in balloting for November elections. However,
if a township citizen wishes to vote in person they may go to the
auditor's office at the county courthouse during normal business hours.
The general election ballots will be mailed after completion of the
primary ballot voting.
The Voyager of McGregor is the official newspaper of Workman
Township for posting all legally required notices.
BROADBAND Efforts are continuing to obtain more funding to provide broadband service to our township. At this point it is estimated that we have 60% broadband coverage or pending coverage. The remaining approximately 40% is going to be difficult and costly because of the distance between properties needing coverage.
Workman Township/Lakeview Cemetery Updates Last year work was completed
to transfer the manual records to computer. Our next step was
transferring the computer records to our website. During the next
several weeks we should have this completed. Our website will show lots
and plots available, lots and plots sold, and the locations of all
interned individuals. This project entailed a lot of detail and steps
but should be a vast upgrade from the hard copy records.
American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) for Townships. This program was
designed by the federal government with oversight by the state
government to give assistance to townships because of the pandemic. We
have received two payments, one for $10,899.16 and one for $356.92. We
will also be receiving these amounts next year. There are requirements
on the use of the funds and reporting forms that must be completed but
nothing as difficult at the Covid -19 program of last year.
Taxable Market & Net Tax Capacity 2021/2022 Kirk Peysar, Aitkin County Auditor
sent us the following: Workman Township's total taxable market
valuation is $68,337,615, the net tax capacity is $681,824. The total
taxable market valuation increased nearly $4,000,000 over the previous
year. The net tax capacity increase over last year is nearly $40,000.
For the year the township will use only 14% of our net tax capacity.
