Posted: 5/1/02

Wyoming Town Board changes
mind on splitting voting precincts

Jessica Foster
Staff Writer

Things will stay the same in Wyoming Township. At least about voting. At least for now.

After agreeingóin principleóto divide the township into two precincts at the last meeting, the Wyoming Town Board of Supervisors Tuesday, April 23 decided to keep the township as one voting precinct.

Citing a desire to keep township business at the town hall and concerns about making voting convenient for voters, the board voted to keep things as they are at least for the next year.

For elections this fall, equipment will be cleared out of the garage to allow more space for voters heading to the polls.

An election judge likely will stand at the doors and direct voters to the appropriate lines according to alphabetical order.

Many communities are realigning precincts after the recent redistricting. The city of Forest Lake, for example, now has five precincts.

The township thought this was their only opportunity to add a precinct until the next round of redistricting a decade down the road.

However, Norma Olson said after researching, she learned the township could split any year up to 2010. To divide for this yearís election, the board would have needed to make a decision by Thursday, April 25.

That timeline seemed too tight for Supervisor Jeff Eiffler.

ìThereís just too many potential bugs in it to figure it all out tonight,î Eiffler said. ìI think we should just wait until next year.î

Maranatha Assembly of God Church and Lord of the Lakes Lutheran Church had agreed to provide space for township polling places.

Supervisor Mike Peterson, while he said he appreciated the willingness of the churches to help, said the township should take care of its own business.

ìI think itís very generous of these churches to open their doors and let the community in, but I donít think itís the right thing to do,î Peterson said.

Peterson, looking around the existing town hall, said Wyoming Township needs new digs.

ìA new building is what we need,î he said. ìIf this is our facility, then I think we have to make it work here.î

In past elections, the town hall has been crowded on election night. When Jesse Ventura was elected governor, the parking lot was jam packed, the lines were long and the voting machine went kaput.

There are 3267 registered voters in Wyoming Township.

ìIf we get much larger, with one voting machine, weíll be beyond our capacity,î Olson said.

Supervisor Scott Walberg agreed and said with more residents the crowds will increase.

ìEvery four years from this year, itís only going to get worse,î Walberg said.

A second voting machine could ease the worries, though Olson said two machines could not run concurrently. A second machine could be used for a back-up.

A new voting machine would cost about $4400 with Chisago County pitching in $2500 toward the cost. The board agreed to look into purchasing a second machine.

Kendall Lane

John Norton, who lives on Kendall Lane, came to the town board meeting for the second time in a row last week.

This time, he brought friends.

The residents of Kendall Lane came before the board looking for some relief of a road in poor conditionóa road impassable for emergency vehicles and littered with ruts and soft spots.

Kendall Lane is considered a private road by the township. However, a resident called the Chisago County auditorís office and was told it was deeded to the public in 1956.

For a road to be a township road, it would have needed to be accepted by the township. Olson and Attorney Tom Fitzpatrick are researching if Kendall Lane indeed is a township road.

If it isnít, residents who want improvements will have to foot the bill.

Eiffler said it was up to the township to help the residents. If emergency vehicles cannot get through, lives could be in danger.

ìWeíre liable, at least ethically, for their well being,î he said.

Engineer Ron Bray, cautioned the board to tread lightly to avoid setting a precedence.

ìI would be concerned about setting a precedence,î Bray said. ìThere are a lot of private roads that need work right now.î

The board and residents came to an agreement to apply 4-6 loads of fill to the road, at a cost of about $2000. If Fitzpatrick and Olson learn the road is public, the township will pay. If not, the residents will be billed for the material.

Private roads can be turned over to the community provided they meet township standards.

Kendall Lane is scheduled to be on the agenda for the next board meeting.

Meetings

The Wyoming Town Board of Supervisors regularly meets at 7 p.m. the second and fourth Tuesday of each month at the Wyoming Town Hall, 7665 Wyoming Trail.

The next meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. Tuesday, May 14.

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