Joe Drennan
Staff writerAfter the Columbus planning commission and town board denied a request to re-open a public hearing regarding a proposed harness racing track/card room, town citizens took matters into their own hands to force a special meeting.
Town statute says that a special meeting can be called by either the town board or if 20-percent of town electors sign a petition asking for one. Since the town board wouldnít call a special meeting, 540 electors signed a petition for one.
The special meeting will take place 7 p.m., Tuesday, July 20 at the Columbus Town Hall, 16319 Kettle River Blvd.
The meeting will discuss the amending of ordinance Section 7A of the town code that regulates zoning, the current site plan submitted to the planning commission regarding North Metro Harness Initiativeís harness racing track/card room, the environmental assessment worksheet submitted by the NMHI and other concerns the public may have with the proposal.
ìOur goals are to get the rest of the facts and information out to people,î Don Steinke said. ìThe North Metro Harness Initiative people have had ample opportunity to present their side to the board and planning commission but the residents havenít.î
The meeting will not be run by the town board, but instead run like an annual meeting. Town Clerk Barb Masteller will call the meeting to order and citizens will nominate a moderator who will conduct the meeting and keep order.
ìWeíre going to try and conduct this meeting much the same way as the Minnesota Racing Commission conducted theirs,î Steinke said. ìWeíre asking the public to sign up ahead of time. Weíre encouraging people to call Glen Miles or myself to get on the agenda.î
Steinke can be reached at 651-464-8940 and Miles at 651-464-3626.
While the meeting is a public session and everyone is welcome, representatives from NMHI will be on hand to answer questions and discuss the publicís concerns over the proposed project.
ìWe are happy to cooperate and answer any questions on the project,î said Mark Oyaas of the Southwest Hotel and Casino and Hotel Corp. ìOur intention is to be in the community for a long time and a good neighbor, and that means being a good neighbor from the beginning.î
Other reactions
From the town boardís end, there are mixed emotions about the necessity of a special town meeting.
Town Board Chair Mel Mettler said he is skeptical of any new information that might come out in the meeting, but Supervisor Tom Hefty supports the meeting 100-percent.
ìThere are so many things that are happening in this community and people are confused and they want to know whatís going on,î Hefty said. ìSure they can submit something in writing, but thatís not a debate. You donít get the opportunity to talk back and forth and find out what their real concerns are.î
Mettler sees the meeting as a way for the people against the proposed NMHI project to voice their opinions that they have already voiced.
ìWhat people donít understand is we have a procedure weíre supposed to follow,î Mettler said. ìObviously there is a renewed interest in the project and there are a lot of stories out there that just arenít true.
ìSome people have been clamoring for a public hearing and if this is their version of a public hearing then so be it. It is legal and there is a provision in the statutes for it. If they are going to say on record something they feel they havenít been able to say then good for them.î
Steinke said he realizes there are obviously people that are for the NMHI project so at the end of the meeting there is going to be a ìnon-bindingî vote taken and passed along to the town board.
The vote will not be a vote that determines the fate of the project, but simply a public opinion vote to give people a better understanding of the number of people that are for and against it.
Steinke said people are encouraged to attend the meeting and voice their opinions.
Top of Page
