Posted: 12/4/02

County puts hold on Green Acres plan

By MaryHelen Swanson

The Chisago County Board of Commissioners took action Wednesday, Nov. 27 to put the two North Branch projects on temporary hold until March 26, 2003.

The vote was unanimous, with the motion coming from Commissioner Bob Gustafson, the second from Commissioner Mike Robinson.

Th emphasis was on ìtemporary holdî and in no way, the board members agreed, was their action meant to stop the projects.

Gustafson said his motion was in fairness to the two incoming commissioners because they couldnít get all the information about the project in such a short time. He also said issues like this should not be decided upon on a 3-2 vote.

The projects include a county government service center which would include several departments of the county and non-profit organizations and agencies, and construction of a new nursing home to replace Green Acres Country Care Center. This nursing home proposal includes an assisted living unit and medical clinic on the nursing home campus.

The projects as proposed are to be located west of North Branch on Falcon Avenue on land the county was in the process of purchasing.

To get a clarification of Gustafsonís motion, County Administrator Jim Thoreen asked if it meant a stop to all architectural work, not proceeding with the preliminary plat approval, not proceeding with property purchase, ceasing negotiations with the Board of Social Ministry, and ceasing negotiations with other tenants in the service center.

The answer was yes.

With a ìfriendlyî amendment by Commissioner Tom Delaney, the board agreed to direct Thoreen to seek an extension on the purchase agreement for both pieces of land and to inform the gas pipeline company of the countyís intent so the company can include costs of re-routing the pipeline in its 2003 budget.

During discussion it was noted that the county has spent about $90,000 for architectural work on the government service building project and about $80,000 for architectural work on the health care facility.

Thoreen told the board members that if the projects go forward, the county can bond and reimburse these costs to the funds from where the money is taken. If the projects donít proceed, he noted, there will be no way to recover these costs.

A special North Branch planning commission meeting that had been set for Monday, Dec. 2 to consider preliminary plats for the county was cancelled as per the approved motion.

Top of Page