Joe Drennan
Staff WriterThe Columbus Concerned Citizens are questioning how the North Metro Harness Initiative groupís application for a harness racing track/card room could have gotten as far as it did when Chapter 5 of town code ordinances deals with public nuisances such as gambling, betting and slot machines.
At the July 20 special meeting, citizens were told to attend the Wednesday, July 28 town board meeting to find out why the NMHI application has proceeded despite town ordinances opposing gambling.
Supervisor John Wallner asked town lawyer Bill Griffith how and why the township could accept an application like NMHIís when there is an ordinance like this in exsistance.
Griffith explained that public nuisance ordinances were common 20-40 years ago, but many towns and cities have done away with them since state laws have dealt with the issues such as gambling, prostitution, liquor and pornography.
Griffith said if the state law allows for certain things like liquor and gambling, the township canít change that.
At the same time, Griffith informed the board that most towns and cities are no longer regulating public nuisances because the state has dealt with them, but at the same time public health, safety and wellbeing have become more important issues.
ìTo assure everyone, weíve been systematically updating all ordinances and it was only a matter of time until we got to this one and we realize this was an important one,î Supervisor Renae Fry said.
ìWeíve just updated sign, zoning, and location of houses/accessory building codes.î
Town Board Chairman Mel Mettler said the board would review this ordinance and take input from the public regardless if the track was to go through or not.
Aerial ladder
Forest Lake Fire Department Chief Gary Sigfrinius went before the board asking the township to support the purchase of a new aerial ladder to replace the soon to be 24-year old 50-foot ladder truck the department currently has.
ìWhen you start building Gander Mountains and Menards, a new aerial ladder is needed,î Sigfrinius said.
The city of Forest Lake already approved the purchase of the ladder, but the department covers Forest Lake, Columbus Township and Wyoming Township so approval from all three is needed.
The cost of the apparatus would be split among the three entities based on market values. Last year Columbus township paid 23-cents on the dollar for fire related cost.
The new apparatus is estimated to cost around $850,000, but the department may be able to sell the current one for anywhere from $17,000-26,000 to help defray the cost of a new apparatus.
Sigfrinius still has to look into exactly how much the apparatus will cost and how it will be paid for.
The township will present the item at its annual budget meeting later this month.
Meetings
The next regular meeting of the Columbus Town Board is set for 7 p.m., Wednesday, Aug. 11.
The townshipís annual meeting continuation is on tap for 7 p.m., Tuesday, Aug. 17 at the Columbus Town Hall.
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