LUTSEN TOWNSHIP
ANNUAL TOWN MEETING MINUTES
March 10, 2026
Lutsen Town Hall
Present: Ashley VanDoren, Ginny Storlie, Rae Piepho, Sharon Hexum-Platzer, Steve Duclos, Matt Kartes, Chris Homyak, Fred Schmitt, Carl Friesner, Brian Larsen, Judy Motschenbacher
Call Meeting to Order: 2026 Annual Town Meeting called to order by Clerk S. Mcquatters-Spangle at 8:05 pm.
Nomination from the Floor for Meeting Moderator: S. Mcquatters-Spangle opened the floor to nominations for meeting moderator. Judy Motschenbacher was nominated by Carl Friesner; Chris Homyak seconded. All voted in favor raised their hands or indicated approval, no objections. Judy Motschenbacher was accepted as the nomination and assumed the position of meeting moderator.
Pledge of Allegiance: The Flag was presented, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance.
Reading and setting of Agenda: Moderator Motschenbacher address the room and asked if there were any comments or question in regards to the agenda or if someone would make a motion to accept. Samantha Mcquatters-Spangle advised waiting for the Board of Canvas to finish as one of the citizens had comments on donations. Tofte senior lunch as requested a donation from Lutsen Township for the amount of $5000 for 2027. Rae Piepho made a motion to accept the agenda, Carl Frienser seconded, no objections; motion carried.
Reading and approval of the 2025 Audit report: Moderator Motschenbacher addressed the room to read the 2025 Lutsen Township audit meeting minutes and requested a motion to approve or discussion. Chris Homyak made a motion to approve the 2025 audit meeting minutes; Carl Frienser seconded to motion, all in favor; motion passed.
Reading and approval of the 2025 Annual meeting and Cont. Annual meeting minutes: Moderator Motschenbacher addressed the room and requested a motion to approve or discussion. Request was made to correct spelling on last name Piepo to Piepho. Another request to correct last name from Friesner to Freisner. Carl Freinser made a motion to approve the 2025 Annual meeting and Cont. Annual meeting minutes; Chris Homyak seconded, all in favor; motion passed.
Commissioner updates: (Ginny Storlie): Not in attendance
Reading of the end of year Board of Audit report: (Clerk Mcquatters-Spangle)
For the fiscal year of 2024 January 1, 2025-December 31, 2025
Beginning Balance: $374,079.33
$300,391.47 invested in CD’s
Total Receipts: $435,191.14
Total Disbursements $330,762.55
Ending Balance: $778,899.41 ($8,833.21 outstanding checks)
$227,624.39 of total invested in CD’s
The Board of Audit report is available for public viewing and was on display during the annual meeting. The foregoing summary of receipts and disbursements, as well as the itemized statement of the Receipts Register, Cash Control Statement, Statement of Indebtedness, and the itemized statement of the Disbursements Register inclusive; have been examined and audited by supervisors and were approved the 17th day of February, 2026. All claims and receipts are located in the town office and available for review.)
Special note from treasurer VanDoren: total funds are higher at the end of year because we receive our property tax payments in December, essentially what we see in December minus some state contributions and things like that is what ties us over until our next property tax payment in June. One thing the supervisors did acknowledge is the previous conversation in these annual meetings is wanting to concentrate on having the money savings account working for us in a positive way; between December of 2025 and January of 2025 our investment funds went from $227,000 to $480,000. We had migrated additional truck fund account money, building fund account money and a good chunk of the general fund checking as well into those certificates of deposits in order to gain interest; many of the investments being 7-month CDs.
Motion to authorize board actions MN Statute 365.10: Donation Requests: Moderator Motschenbacher asked the board if there were any comments or questions regarding donation requests for 2027.
Lutsen Junior Alpine Ski Team for 2027 - $ 2000; Carl Freisner; I think the team does a fantastic job and deserves our full support. Peipho; how many kids are on the team? Judy Motschenbacher; the team count maintain consist state win.
Tofte Township for July 4, 2023 Fireworks Display - $1500;
Funding to support Lutsen Community Fall Celebration - $ 500;
Tofte senior lunch program at Birchgrove for 2026 - $5000; Sharon Hexum-Platzer questioned why Lutsen township would be paying extra money to support a senior lunch in Tofte that those attending are already paying for each time they eat lunch there? Is it to subsidize or are they not charging enough for each lunch? Lutsen township will only be sending the donations for this senior lunch for the first time this year.
Judy Motschenbacher responded: assuming Tofte holds a liability for being responsible for providing the building and cooking but the food budget is started to get really stretched and we want to make sure the cook is being paid well; she is a wonderful cook. Schroader also contributes and there are people in the community that need this service at $5 per meal and this donation should maintain what they are getting. I think it is a good community service and Lutsen citizens do participate. Sharon; so, to understand this is the money going to help pay to cook and pay the electricity? Carl Freisner question if Schroader and Tofte also contribute $5000 each as well and is there an age limit to this, just senior or can anybody eat there? Judy Motschenbacher; one this is does provide is the people from the community get to be in the school building with the kids and get together with others from the community. I know some people live on social security and it is hard to determine who really needs it. Anybody can eat there, people under 55 or 60 your asked to donate $6 or $7 for a meal. Rae Peipho; you get so much more for $5 then Grand Marais give so it is a great deal and it is an excellent balanced meal. Carl Freisner advised keeping this donation for 2027 unvoted at the moment and docket discussion under the continued annual meeting in august 2027.
Proposed 2027 Township Budget Treasurer VanDoren first presented and explained that the Proposed Town Budget planned on February 2026 with the township supervisors, the Fire/EMS chiefs. Using the budget handout, she explained the General Town Budget includes township expenses and the Fire District Budget includes items that impact the entire fire district as well as Fire and EMS departments which are under one budget. She noted a specific change for 2026 budget; General town budget over there is a decrease between the 2026 approve budget and the 2027 proposed budget, major contributing factors include an increase in the election line item due to it being an odd year; townships are charged election costs the follow year from election years. Lawn care line item was increase due to cost for the Grandview park and ball field maintenance. The biggest decrease was in the ball field capital expense by $20,000 between 2026 and 2027; no park equipment purchases slotted for 2027. Town Park professional services were increased with need for removal of downed trees and fence repairs.
Fire district budget overall between the fire and admin budget there was a decrease between 2026 approved budget and 2027 proposed budget. Increase for new line item; propane which is slotted for use with the short-term emergency shelter generator at $1,500. Professional services line item was decreased due to historical need and what was showing. Sewer line item increased due to services needed. Miscellaneous expenses placeholder line item was decreased for further review until the August 2027 continued annual meeting. Fire department training and milage was decreased as it is not a refresher year for 2027. Pager and radios line item was decreased as the needs were filled in the 2026 budget.
Moderator Motschenbacher; this is the preliminary setting of the 2027 Lutsen town budget, this will also be available for everyone to view on at the township site Lutsentownship.com. Minutes and agenda out on the site as well as the budget and other relevant township information. Please share the budget with friends and family that aren’t here tonight and discuss, come to meetings. We would all love to hear for the community and have some feedback.
Current 202 budget plan: General Budget-Township is $51,600, Fire District Budget, $296,395 for a total, combined budget of $347,995
Preliminary setting of 202 Levy: Preliminary levy amounts are open for discussion and currently are based off looking at the proposed state grants, town hall rentals and park electric reimbursements based off the previous 5 years. Those two levy amounts are placeholders and open to discussion.
Total proposed tax levy/budget [including recommended donations, and other yearly payments] is to be determined at Annual meeting continuation in August 18, 2026. This budget can be reviewed after 6 months finances are checked and accepted/changed at a Continuation meeting in August. A complete copy of the 2027 budget plan is available in the Town office and online. Sharon Hexum-Platzer made a motion to accept the preliminary 2027 levy, Chris Homyak seconded the motion. Motion passed; none opposed.
Annual Town Election Results: From Head election judge Sharon Hexum-Platzer, who gave tentative election results;
3-year supervisor position with incumbent Lauretta Cooper no running:
Stacy Schieblauer -14 vote
Katie Oakes – 16 Votes
Dayna Johnson- 26 votes
2-year Treasurer position incumbent Ashely VanDoren not running:
Julie Buskovick- 49 votes
Ashley VanDoren- 1 vote
Dayna Johnson-1 votes
no vote turned in – 5 votes
Lutsen Township had a total of 56 voters for local election 2026
Board of canvass will take place directly following to 2026 annual meeting; request for Ashely VanDoren, Chris Homayk and Sharon Hexum-Platzer to certify voting.
Thank you Ashley VanDoren for you service the last handful of years!!! Ashley will be staying on as deputy treasurer and help to training her replacement.
Other Business/Citizen Comments:
Lutsen Fire Chief: The Lutsen volunteer fire department is looking to buy a new search and rescue truck; we have received a few quote and we are asking the township to get a go ahead on that. I got a quote for $550,000 from one company; Rosenbauer which is what the rest of our fleet is. I also got another quote for $386,214. This a need for the department; all of our search and rescue equipment is spread out between all of the truck and it becomes an event to find the right equipment and time is life when conducting search and rescues. Providing the citizens of Lutsen and agree and the Township agrees we can get this started. We do have a truck fund line item that the township has been putting money into for quite a few years and we might not have to use all of it but it will help with cost. We will have approximately 605 days to fundraise for this after the initial contract is signed. Judy Motschenbacher questioned why not just take out a loan and advertise it? Carl Homyak; at the moment Lutsen township has over $300,000 in the truck fund set aside for the truck replacements or large mechanical breakdowns that aren’t covered by insurance. The idea right now is the leave $100,000 in the account for any of those large mechanical breakdowns and use the remaining $227,000, fundraise what we can and then go to the county to request a bonding loan to cover the remainder just like we did for the townhall building. Fire Chief Duclos; the fire truck engine was just refurbished at the factory about six and a half years ago which buys it 20 years of service and it can do for another refurbishment when the time comes totaling about 25 years before the main engine would need to be replaced and that gives us time to replenish that truck fund account. Judy Motschenbacher; I would like to see in the budget for loan payment from either the county or a bank and pay the truck that way and keep our money and just pay it over 30 years. I really don’t want my fire department to have to fundraise their money to buy a truck, it should be the citizens who live here that pay for that truck. Carl Homyak; Ok, so we don’t fundraise, we just advertise for a loan for what we don’t take out of the truck fund. As a fire department we are not set in one way or another but just want input on financially supporting this truck going forward from the citizens. A sealed bid process for this truck will be happening first; we know what we need in specifics. Carl Freisner; The money for the truck fund is also continuously in a CD at 4% to earn interest. Judy Motschenbacher; I would much rather have my fire department training, practice and fight fires then fundraise. Dayna Johnson motion to start the process to purchase a new search and rescue truck for the Lutsen volunteer fire department; Sharon Hexum-Platzer seconded; all in favor; motion passed. The way the purchase is funded will be further discussed at the continued annual meeting on August 19, 2026 at 6pm.
Fire chief Duclos; Discussions about purchasing a drone started at the last year annual meeting and Sharon Hexum-Platzer has spearheaded it. Letters for requested donations have been sent out to over 750 short term rentals units throughout Cook County to help fund the purchase of a drone ()()()(). This can absolutely save a life; better then wondering through the wilderness and shouting. Schroader will be bringing this topic up at their annual meeting tonight as well.
If we can purchase a drone with this contract, we will get way more bang for buck and services for three years along with a free second drone after the first year; we could keep or sell to another Cook County fire department. This is something that can help the whole of the community not just Lutsen or the west end. I as the fire chief proposed to the township last month was to budget for the next three years to fulfill that contract. We are anticipating receiving more money with continued short term rental donations coming in and Sharon has been working on multiple grant opportunities; at some point it is going to cost tax payers some money with software, maintenance and piolet training.
Sharon Hexum-Platzer; overall, the cost on the contract for bumper-to-bumper warranty on a drone is $25,500 and it is a minimum of a three-year contract totaling $76,500. 790 letters for donation request were sent; thank you Kasia for running off all the address labels, thanks to Arrowhead Electric for allowing her to do that. We have received just slightly over $18,000 from those so far from places that rent out their property or are rentals. Grants that we started out; three were local. One of the grants did not have sufficient funds when we applied, one that is making a proposal on how they can help us to fundraise (Lutsen Ski Hill), third one if the community fund which we should hear from in April if approved for $5000. Totaling $23,000; that does not take us to the first-year amount required for the contract. Tofte township has agreed to donate money to this drone as we are part of a mutual aid. Three additional grants are being worked on for this year; one is called the T-mobile hometown grant, we are requesting $30,000 which is approved would cover the cost of the drone including training three piolets who are willing to be trained and the fees for them to be licensed for the first year. Seconded grant for this year we first have to be approved to receive an invitation, Lloyd K Johnson grant. The lady who is in charge of this grant lives in Grand Marais and has interviewed Sharon Hexum-Platzer and promised to get back by March 15, 2026 to see if an application can be submitted; estimated amount to be $15,000. Last grant is the Good Neighbor Firefighter Safety which does list drone purchase right on their list of supported items but the application process wont open for a few more months. Some of these grants request a letter of support, we have received letters of support from Mike Keyport the emergency manager director; Ruth Vogel the tribal emergency manager (mutual aid department); Cook County Chamber of commerce; Visit Cook County; Sheriff Eliason; Roland Watkins the IT director for the county; others are still coming in.
I have articles on why communities should support drones, the research behind it from the EMS and search and rescue safety side of it. We are protecting our guys; last year 29 search and rescue calls came in to Cook County; two were never found, I truly believe a drone would have found them. I can’t imagine on life not being worth $25,500. We continue mutual aid with Cook County and even Lake County and after calling their sheriffs officer which had 50 search and rescue calls last year stated that even though they have one drone they would have used a second on every single one of the calls. The fact that we don’t have a drone mutual aid with these capabilities; cameras, thermal energy and a payload that can haul things to the victim before our guys can get to them like water, blankets, medicine or emergency medicine like an EpiPen.
Judy Motschenbacher commented that putting a new line item on the budget each year won’t be such a huge coast since it goes year by year; suggesting to Sharon to try and go on the radio and reach out to the community more and give the same speech. Chris Homyak made a motion to put $25,500 in the budget for 2027 and 2028 to cover the drone cost that are not currently covered (since we have the funding for the first year) and go from there. Rae Peipho seconded; all in favor, motion passed.
Local Board of Appeals and Equalization meeting has been changed to May 5, 2026 at the Lutsen Townhall at 6pm.
Set next Annual Meeting Date: March 9, 2027 at 8:05pm; Sharon Hexum-Platzer made a motion to have the next annual meeting date for March 9, 2027 at 8:05pm at the Lutsen townhall. Carl Freinser seconded. Motion passed; none opposed
Rae Peipho made a motion to Continued Annual Meeting to Finalize 2026 Tax Levy August 18, 2026 at 6 p.m. Sharon Hexum-Platzer seconded. Motion carried.
Note: Minutes are not word-for-word. Motions are as presented.
Respectfully Submitted,
Samantha Mcquatters-Spangle Judy Motschenbacher ______________________________
Lutsen Town Clerk Meeting Moderator