Alice Pickering
Wyoming Area Reporter

There were 186 chairs set up for the public hearing about possible merger of the city of Wyoming and Wyoming Township, about half were full. Those attending appeared to be older residents of the city and township.

The straw vote showed most were in favor of the merger. Of 2400 city residents who voted in the November election just 36 attended the May 19 meeting. Township residents signing in numbered 65.

In opening comments Roger Elmore, Wyoming board chair, said the township has lost about 5870 acres through annexation in the past 10 years. The move by Chisago City took 5000 acres. Fairview hospital campus and the developing Polaris complex have accounted for more land. Parcels less than 60 acres can be annexed by petition to the city, and there have been several recently.

Long-time resident and former county commissioner, Curtis Lendt, had questions about the Green Acres programs. He wanted to know what would happen to agricultural property within an expanded city. For him taxes were a big issue.

Lendt also felt the two groups were ìjumping the gun,î about merger. He is opposing the Chisago City annexation.

Elmore said with merger/consolidation, land use patterns would change as residents wanted them changed. County Commissioner Ben Montzka said he believed as long as there was compliance with state programs there would be no effect on the program.

If the consolidation is completed, the new municipality would operate under the existing township comprehensive plan until revisions are made. During the interim organization, Mayor Sheldon Anderson would continue in the position, with a city council formed of likely equal numbers of council members and supervisors.

Jason Parsons, township resident, said if Chisago City had not gone about the hostile annexation of the eastern part of the township, ìwe probably wouldnít be having the meeting.î

He also thought there might be a connection between approval of the harness (racing) track in Columbus and merger talks with Wyoming and Wyoming Township.

Russ Goudge said there were still ìraw feelingsî about the Chisago City annexation. He acknowledged the township would just as soon have stayed the way it was, but he also would ìhate to see it contaminate these negotiations.î

Linda Yeager, city resident, questioned the wisdom of increasing legal fees for merger or consolidation discussion to $30,000 based on a straw ballot. She asked ìis it prudent for us to go through this massive undertaking (now); is this the best time?î

ìWhatís in it for us?î she asked. She and three other residents asked about the working relationships on the council.

Darrell Vincent, city resident, asked about city governance. According to Anderson there might be a short term expansion to six council members then with the election in 2006, possibly back to four members, possibly a ward system.

Merger would not affect fire protection. The police department would have ìtime to expand.î Anderson said

John Chouinard, township resident spoke in support of equal representation on an interim board or city council.

Questions about the impact of a merger on water and sewer service and rates were asked. City Engineer Lee Elfering stated user fees cover cost of service.

Elmore said the plan would be to phase in hook-ups to utilities likely tied to availability (to a neighborhood), requested by resident, 51 percent of those in a development request service, failure of a septic system, and possibly a sunset clause.

One township resident wanted assurances the substantial investment he has made in his in well and septic system could be used for a number of years before having to pay for connection, and wanted a longer time period before hookup.

Richard Oelker asked if there would be a referendum after the study is completed.

Toward the end of the hearing, city resident Dennis Tollefsbol said he would appreciate more frequent updates and information from the city council. He asked for more information directly from the city, rather than having to get it from the newspapers. He wanted more information that was not filtered through the press first.

Tollefsbol said what he has learned about the possible merger has come from reading accounts of Wyoming Township business. Anderson invited residents to attend council meetings and ask questions during the visitorsí section. He urged checking the city web site.

A check of the city web site on May 23, revealed the most recent city council agenda was for April 19 and the most recent archived meeting minutes were those of the April 5 meeting.

Top of Page

Forest Lake Times
P.O. Box 218
880 SW 15 St.
Forest Lake, MN 55025
651-464-4601
Fax 651-464-4605