Minnesota Session Laws - 1986, Regular Session

  

                         Laws of Minnesota 1986 

                        CHAPTER 333-S.F.No. 1701 
           An act relating to town powers; authorizing the 
          establishment of a perpetual care program for certain 
          cemeteries; amending Minnesota Statutes 1985 
          Supplement, section 365.10. 
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
    Section 1.  Minnesota Statutes 1985 Supplement, section 
365.10, is amended to read: 
    365.10 [TOWN MEETINGS, POWERS.] 
    The electors of each town have power, at their annual town 
meeting: 
    (1) to determine the locations of pounds, and number of 
poundmasters, and to discontinue any such pounds; 
    (2) to select such town officers as are to be chosen; 
    (3) to make lawful orders and bylaws as they deem proper 
for restraining horses, cattle, sheep, swine, and other domestic 
animals from going at large on the highways, provide for 
impounding those animals so going at large, and to fix penalties 
for violations of the orders or bylaws; 
    (4) to vote money for the repair and construction of roads 
and bridges, and to vote such sums as they deem expedient for 
other town expenses, including the construction and maintenance 
of docks and breakwaters; 
    (5) when they deem it for the interest of the town to 
direct that a specified amount of the road tax be expended, 
under the direction of their town board, on the roads of an 
adjoining town; 
    (6) to authorize the town board to purchase or build a town 
hall or other building for the use of the town, and to 
determine, by ballot, the amount of money to be raised for that 
purpose; but, if a site for a town hall is once obtained, it 
shall not be changed for another site, except by vote therefor 
designating a new site by two-thirds of the votes cast at such 
election of the legal voters of the town; 
     (7) to authorize the town board, by vote, to purchase 
grounds for a town cemetery, and limit the price to be paid, and 
to vote a tax for the payment thereof; 
     (8) to authorize the town, either by itself or in 
conjunction with one or more other towns, to purchase grounds 
for a public park and to limit the price to be paid therefor, to 
authorize the town, alone or in conjunction with such other town 
or towns, to care for, improve, and beautify such parks, and to 
determine, by ballot, the amount of money to be raised for that 
purpose, and to vote a tax for the payment thereof; 
     (9) to vote money to aid in the construction of community 
halls, to be erected by farm bureaus, farmers clubs, or other 
like organizations;  
     (10) to vote a tax to purchase and maintain a public 
dumping ground;  
     (11) to authorize the town board, by resolution, to 
determine whether to open or maintain town roads or town 
cartways under the jurisdiction of the town board upon which no 
maintenance or construction has been conducted for 25 years or 
more.  For purposes of this clause the provisions of section 
163.16 shall not apply to town roads described in this clause.  
Nothing in this clause shall be construed to abridge the right 
of town voters or land owners to petition for the establishment 
of a cartway as provided in section 164.08;  
    (12) to authorize the town board to spend money in an 
amount as determined by the electors for the purpose of 
commemorating an event of historical significance to the town; 
    (13) to authorize the town board to provide, by ordinance, 
for licensing and regulating the presence or keeping of dogs and 
cats and their running at large within the town; and 
    (14) to authorize the town board to contract with nonprofit 
organizations for health, social, or recreational services in an 
amount not to exceed a total of $5,000 in any year when deemed 
in the public interest and of benefit to the town; and 
    (16) to authorize the town board to establish a perpetual 
care program for the administration and maintenance of any 
cemetery located in the town.  Before establishing a perpetual 
care program, the town board must make the determination that 
sufficient funds are available from burial plot sales, gifts, 
and private assistance to administer and maintain the cemetery.  
Cemetery administration may include the sale of burial plots and 
the supervision of burials.  The town may accept gifts of money 
and other assistance from individuals to establish the perpetual 
care program. 
    Approved March 19, 1986