The town of Trent is seeking an agreement to get a Verizon cellular tower contract that could mean at least $4,000 a year in income, along with improved phone coverage.

The town board on March 13 approved working with the company to put a 300-foot self-supporting tower under a 25-year contract. A tower, if the agreement is approved, could be built in 2019 and would improve service to the area.

“I don’t think we should let this get away,” said board member Richard Nord. The lease would be for a 60-foot by 60-foot piece of grass south of the gym that the city just mows at this time. A tower would be enclosed in a fence.

“I think it’s a good opportunity,” said Jonathan Damm, board president. “This should drastically improve our cell phone service in town.”

In other business, the board heard a complaint about member Matt Larson.

Citizen Howard Dion said he was cooking a burger at Steve’s Bar the night of March 11 when Larson went behind the bar and into the kitchen to threaten him, and also named city finance officer Kim Nelson and former board president Bob Dickey. Dion said that Larson used profanity to say that those three better not get in his way. A sheriff’s deputy was called at 6:23 p.m. to talk to Larson, and Dion asked for an apology at the town meeting.

Larson didn’t apologize but disagreed that he had used as strong of language when he entered the kitchen.

“I want to know what gives a right for a city council member to go behind the bar and into the kitchen. What gives you the right?” Dion asked in a discussion that got heated. “I think you should resign.”

Larson was the council member that asked late last year for Dickey’s resignation from the board, which happened in January. Dickey’s son-in-law, Jeremy Elverud, also put in his resignation this month for working for the city on snow removal after this season because he doesn’t want to put up with Larson’s harassment, Nelson said. Elverud and his wife, Melissa, also have resigned from mowing for the town.

Two people running for a council seat that is held by Nord said the town needs to quit being divided.

The constant negativity and drama, including that on social media, has to stop, said Jennifer Ahrendt, a candidate in the April 10 election. She saw video of the incident in the bar kitchen when she was in Arizona and the bar owner had it on his security camera.

“That as a citizen to me is very frustrating,” she said of the division. “It makes us all look like idiots. That needs to change.”

Todd Olson, who also is running for the board spot, said he also saw the video in Arizona. “What Steve would like is the town has to get back together to what it used to be.”

The board later talked about proper behavior in an executive session with the members and Nelson.

Because of the strife that started last December over several issues, including who could serve alcohol at events at the gym where the fire department was using the liquor license, Nord said the board should look at expanding to five members from three. It would bring more community involvement to the board rather that looking like one or two people control city business, he said.

“I think that would help put credibility back into this governing body. I think it’s worth trying,” Nord said. While the issue couldn’t get on the upcoming April ballot, a change is needed soon, he said. “We need this now because there is so much division here.”

Nelson said that with the exception of this year with four candidates running for one seat, it has been years since there has been an election. People have had to be begged to be appointed to the board.

The board will discuss the idea more at future meetings.

The board also came to a working agreement on how the fire department will serve events at the gym. The department has an approved list of volunteers that will be allowed to serve drinks under the department’s special license issued by the city.