Pat Tepoorten

Wyoming Township Reporter

The Wyoming Township Board July 26 discussed the possibility of a cost-of-living increase for seven township employees during the course of its regular meeting on Tuesday, July 19. Three figures were proposed for discussion, three percent, five percent, and 8.25 percent.

Board Chair Roger Elmore suggested a five percent increase ìacross the boardî for staff would be fair, and noted that he felt the increase should not include the board itself or those serving on various commissions for the township.

Supervisor Ron Swenson said recent insurance premium increases, shouldered in large part by the township, should be a major factor in the boardís decision. ìI feel strongly that it should be considered,î he said, and suggested the three percent increase would be ìvery fair,î in light of those increases.

Elmore countered that five percent would ìbring us back up to a competitive pay scale,î and concluded the larger figure would be more realistic based on the various job functions. Other board members thought the five percent increase was fair as well.

Public Works Supervisor Byron Olson asked to be heard and requested the board consider job performance as well. He compared Wyoming Township with surrounding communities and opined that in many areas, Wyoming township was doing a better job.

He added that staff saved the township roughly $265,000 through negotiations with Dressel Contracting and the exemplary record keeping of township staff, which Olson thought was superior to many of the surrounding cities and townships.

ìThatís your staff working for you. Youíve got a bunch of good people working here,î he concluded.

Supervisor Mark Utecht made a motion to allow for the five percent increase, and said he based that decision partially on the proposed budget. ìIf the residents approve the budget they will be expecting us to spend money on the employees. They get served by the employees.î

Supervisor Jeff Eiffler agreed, noting ìWe have decent people here. If we want to keep them we have to pay them.î

The board did indeed pass the five percent figure, with Swenson voting against, although he did concede the township benefited from great upkeep of equipment and that money had been saved through disciplined maintenance schedules. ìThatís a big credit to Byron.î

Budget total set

Later, the board would also pass a proposed budget for 2006, with a total levy of $712,189.

This levy is roughly $80,000 less than the benchmark of $794,000 suggested by Township Clerk Norma Olson previously, a figure that would have resulted in a 20 percent tax rate.

The lower proposed figure for 2006 will result in an estimated tax rate of 17.87 percent.

Olson expects budget information to be sent to residents in the very near future, in preparation for the continuation of the annual meeting on Aug. 31 at 7 p.m., at which residents will be expected to approve the proposed budget.

More on merger

In other township news, Elmore informed the board Chisago City Mayor Chris DuBose has requested the city be allowed to take part in merger negotiations between the township and the city of Wyoming.

The board agreed that the negotiations should be limited to the two entities seeking to merge, essentially reiterating the decision that was made when the city of Stacy made a similar request.

In a Friday interview, Elmore said the city of Wyoming has offered to consult with the township in the process of hiring a new city administrator, despite the fact the proposed merger is still many months from completion and must still be approved by residents. He further expects that law firm Rinke Noonan will be delivering a detailed outline for completing the process in the near future.

Concern was raised by resident Bill Oswald, however, with the cityís handling of an indoor motocross facility that is currently proposed. He said the city was handling the motocross facility ìunder the table,î and suggested the merger itself was little more than a land grab by the city.

Utecht informed the board the 118,000 square foot facility is being proposed for land recently annexed from the township, and that the proposal had not yet received the approval of the cityís planning commission. Elmore said the city has postponed the creation of a new comprehensive plan, in anticipation of the merger, and was currently operating under their existing plan.

Still, Supervisor Pat Fandel, who resides near the proposed facility, felt the township could voice concerns with the project, which he personally felt was ìspot-zoningî and not in the spirit of the proposed merger.

Utecht concluded the discussion by assuring he would attend the Aug. 1 city planning commission meeting and report to the board.

Road projects

Township Engineer Mark Erichson explained that the survey of Heath Avenue is complete and that the only two steps remaining in the process are to identify the cost of the small portion being considered for blacktop by the township, and how that project would be funded.

Liberty Ponds developer Integra Homes is responsible for blacktopping Heath from US-8 to the southernmost entrance to the development, with the portion of Heath between the development and the Washington County line being assumed by the township. It has been suggested the township assess all of the property owners along Heath Ave., rather than the small handful that live directly in the area of the townshipís portion of the project.

Erichson requested board direction as to how he should compute those assessments, and the board discussed the possibility of assessing based on each property ownerís frontage by foot. Swenson stated he felt most of the property owners would gain the same benefit from the project despite having small variations in their frontage. Except, he added, for one parcel. Calculating by total frontage, he added, ìwill hit the large parcelî owned by a retired farmer ìtoo hard.î

ìI would hate to see them have to sell their land in order to pay assessments,î Swenson concluded.

Erichson suggested that proposed assessments be computed both by frontage and on a ìper unitî basis, which would result in essentially same assessments for all along Heath, regardless of property size. Upon completion, the board can decide which is more appropriate and, if necessary, perhaps even combine the two methods in some way. Erichson felt he could have those figures ready for the next board meeting.

The Heath Ave. project, along with a proposal for Itasca Ave., are currently the only major road projects that the township is considering.

It was proposed by Swenson that the township consider using the blacktop aid fund to assist with the cost of both projects. It was further suggested by Fandel that the fund pay a quarter of the total cost of each project.

A motion was passed by the board to dedicate $10,000 to the Heath Ave. project and the remainder, $70,000 to $75,000, to the Itasca Ave. project, which is significantly larger than Heath Ave.

Swenson, who recently attended a meeting of the Highway. 8 Task Force, updated the board on current construction around the Lindstrom and Chisago City and said the project will take longer than expected, and will not reach completion until November or December. The project was initially supposed to be complete before the school year commenced. He also reported future projects planned for the Wyoming Township area may be downsized due to a lack of funds.

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