March 10, 2026 Meeting Minutes

The Vasa Township Annual Meeting and election of officers was held on this day with the polls open from 5 PM to 8 PM and the meeting followed at 8:15 PM.

There were 16 ballots cast in the election; Mike Carlson was elected Supervisor, a 3-year term, with 14 votes. Mike Gesme was elected Clerk, a 2-year term, with 16 votes.

The meeting was called to order at 8:15 PM by the clerk, Mike Gesme. Richard Callstrom was elected Moderator.

The minutes of the 2025 meeting were read by the clerk and approved by voice vote.

The township financial reports were reviewed. Treasurer Molly Zervas reported the township’s CD will mature March 21st. The financial reports were approved by voice vote.
The 2027 levy was discussed. No large equipment purchases are anticipated. The clerk reported that while the township’s overall balance is healthy, the Board recommends adjusting the levy fund allocations to better align with how actual expenditures are accounted for, while keeping the overall levy the same. The 2027 levy was approved by voice vote as follows:

Road & Bridge $200,000 General Fund $35,000
Equipment Fund $36,000 Fire Fund $39,000

Total Levy: $310,000

Board Chair Rick Samuelson reported on the state of the township. The township continues to apply a significant amount of crushed rock to town roads, trim trees, and mow ditches. The 325th Street bridge is scheduled to be replaced this year for an approximate total cost of $400,000. The township’s portion of the cost is $10,000 toward engineering and $10,000 toward construction, for a total of $20,000. The nearby township bridge will likely be replaced at the same time.

We are still below budget on the fire fund, though Cannon Falls is considering a ladder truck purchase of $2 million. The City of Red Wing wants townships to contribute financially for the ambulance program. The ambulance budget is about $4.5 million, compared to the Cannon Falls ambulance budget of $1.5 million. Most ambulance calls to Vasa are to the ski resort. The new Goodhue fire agreement has yet to be finalized. Samuelson’s report was approved by voice vote.

Captain Chad Steffen provided a report from the Sheriff’s Office. Fraud and scams continue to be an issue. The Sheriff's Office covers a wide area and focuses on felonies and violent offenders. The Sheriff now has a drone program on each team. There are many events focused on community engagement with the Sheriff’s Office. There are now approximately 110 FTEs, some volunteer. Some of the police fleet are made up of pickups, and it has been difficult to get SUVs. There are two K9 units, with one at the detention center. Patrol vehicles are generally on a 3-year cycle, and admin vehicles 4 to 5. Steffen thanked the township for donations to the County Fair. It was noted many sirens have been decommissioned. The remaining ones will be split into 4 zones within the County, to alert a more precise area of weather events. The Sheriff provides cybersecurity support to the BCA. The pros and cons of the new license plate recognition technology were discussed.

County Commissioner Brad Anderson presented updates from the County. $1.57 million will be spent on bridges in 2026, mostly from the State bond funds, with $20,000 contributed from the townships. Significant investments in roads are planned over 5 years, with one third funded locally and two thirds from the state and federal levels. County 1 from Pioneer Road to 53 will be redone with concrete in 2027. The Pioneer Road intersection will become a roundabout. County 1 and County 6 may also become a roundabout, as there is a 90% reduction in serious accidents with roundabouts. A question was raised regarding properties with junk vehicles, and Commissioner Anderson suggested contacting Megan at Land Use Management or himself to assist. It takes approximately 4 years to plan and build a road. Concrete is preferred as it lasts longer. State and federal issues will put pressure on County budgets. The County levy increased 6.5%, with a 20% increase projected next year. Costs sent down to the County result in property tax increases. Commissioner Anderson noted this will be his last term, ending at the end of December.

The clerk noted increased donations were requested from the Goodhue County Historical Society and the Goodhue County Fair. A motion was made and seconded to approve the same donations as the prior year: $100 to the Goodhue County Historical Society, $100 to the Vasa Museum, $500 to the Goodhue County Fair, and $400 to the Cannon Valley Fair. The motion passed by voice vote. No ambulance contribution will be made at this time, but could be considered by the Board at a future date.

The clerk noted the township received a grant from the Secretary of State to install a concrete slab at town hall for handicapped and curbside voting.

The date and time of the 2027 election and Annual Meeting were set for March 9, 2027, with polls open 5 PM to 8 PM and the meeting starting at 8:15 PM.

The meeting was adjourned at 9:35 PM.

Mike Gesme, Township Clerk