Thomson Town board deals with basic upkeep

In a bid to fight erosion around the Northridge Park pavilion, the Thomson Township board of supervisors voted to install gutters on the park building at last week’s board meeting.

The move is part of ongoing improvements to the pavilion, such as upgraded indoor lights and a security light approved at the end of last month, and new tables and chairs approved last October. A study to improve the park, kickstarted the end of last year, is on hold due to FEMA floodplain guidelines, supervisor Dave Sunnarborg told the Pine Knot.

The gutters will cost $1,050. Just over $400 of that will come from American Rescue Plan Act funds, granted to the township to replace revenue lost during the pandemic, after now-acting clerk-treasurer Deb Kamunen noticed a discrepancy in the books.

While finalizing a compliance report required by ARPA in April, she noticed money allocated to paint the town hall was listed as ARPA-funded when past meeting minutes didn’t reflect as such.

“It’s an annual report that I have to do to the federal government, and you really don’t want to mess it up,” Kamunen said at the board meeting Thursday, June 6.

She removed the cost for painting the town hall from the report and asked the board to use that money to cover about $5,000 overspent on a study of the feasibility of having municipal water in the township, as well as tables and chairs for the Northridge Park pavilion — all projects for which Kamunen said the board previously approved the federal funding. The remaining $416 went to the park gutters.

Sunnarborg said the lack of gutters on the pavilion causes water to pool up around the building.

“We thought we’d get rid of that water coming off the road, and we can kind of level it out and make it a little safer to walk for people,” Sunnarborg said.

Clerk-treasurer out

Deb Kamunen’s resignation from the clerk-treasurer position was accepted by the township board Thursday, which subsequently appointed her as a part-time acting clerk-treasurer until they can find a replacement.

Chairwoman Ruth Janke told the Pine Knot News the change would not affect services, and the needs of residents would still be met.

Though she likes working with the township and being engaged with the community she grew up in, Kamunen wanted to trade the township position — which she said came with overtime hours and working some weekends — for a standard 40-hour-per-week job to spend more time with her two grandchildren.

Kamunen replaced Rhonda Peleski, who served in that role for over 30 years and retired in March.

The board canceled its July 18 meeting, leaving July 11 the sole public meeting that month. Janke justified the move, saying it will be a light business month. Board meetings are typically held on the first and third Thursday of each month.