Board hires new clerk/treasurer

For the second time in less than a year, the Thomson Township board of supervisors approved the hire of a new township clerk/treasurer at its meeting Sept. 19.

Beth Elstad will replace Deb Kaumunen, who was hired in March to replace Rhonda Peleski. Peleski retired after doing the job for 30 years. Elstad will earn $35 an hour for the full-time salaried position.

Elstad brings a wide range of experience in the nonprofit world to her new job. She's worked in the region since 1996 as a financial coordinator with several organizations, including Safe Haven and Life House. Also a licensed alcohol and drugs counselor, she was a founding member and the executive director of Recovery Alliance Duluth, a community organization that connects people seeking recovery to peers who have walked a similar path and are trained to help through peer-to-peer recovery support. She also worked for the Sixth Judicial District Court as DWI Court coordinator and has served on a number of boards, including chairing the governor's advisory board for the Office of Addiction and Recovery. She has a bachelor's degree in accounting and management.

Elstad said she was intrigued by the idea of working for a township after working for state government and in nonprofit executive leadaership. She also likes Thomson Township.

"I'm excited to be here," she told the Pine Knot News. "I have grandchildren in Esko, and it's a beautiful area."

Although she lives in Hermantown, Elstad's oldest son attended school in Esko.

"It's an excellent community and I'm really proud to be part of the organization," she said.

Board members accepted Kamunen's resignation at last week's meeting and approved a contract for her to train Elstad, which met with criticism from one township employee. Jonathan Bouvine, road and utility maintenance supervisor, wondered why the board wouldn't ask Peleski, who had decades of experience in the role. Both Hill and Janke responded strongly, stressing that it was a board decision and not something Bouvine should be weighing in on.

"It's a board decision, not a Jon decision," Janke said.

The board unanimously approved the contract for Elstad, but chose not to purchase a fidelity bond for the clerk/treasurer position. Township attorney Dave Pritchett advised the board that the township is already covered for up to $50,000 per employee, plus the board hadn't purchased a bond to cover previous individuals in the clerk/treasurer position.

Advisory votes

In response to a question from resident and township supervisor candidate John Bergman, board chairwoman Ruth Janke said the board will not consider three advisory votes by residents until January, when there are new board members.

Last month, in the adjourned town meeting for residents (rather than the board), citizens passed four advisory recommendations to the board. The board acted on a recommendation to pay off a $400,000 loan but has not acted on the other three, which include:

• A proposal to advise moving the time of regular board meetings back to 6:30 p.m. instead of the current time of 5 p.m. to allow more working people to attend.

• A proposal that the township post its board meeting agenda packets physically and electronically by noon the day before the meeting, versus the same day.

• A proposal to have the township lobby the state legislature to change township supervisor election from by-seat to at-large races.

"I'm personally not interested in taking up any one of his advisory motions," supervisor Terry Hill said.

Bergman said the motions were passed by a majority of citizens at the August meeting, and the board moved to the next topic.

The next Thomson town board meeting is 5 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 3. Board members set a work session for 9 a.m.

Oct. 15.