T.W. Budig
ECM Capitol Reporter

A bill designed to incorporate Columbus Township and thwart a proposed annexation by Forest Lake failed in a House committee on Monday.

Rep. Ray Vandeveer, R-Forest Lake, is House author of the bill that would mandate incorporation and prohibit annexation in a metro ìurban townî if the town has petitioned for incorporation, is providing urban services or has a comprehensive plan to do so.

In the balance is a tract of commercial property east of I-35 that the city of Forest Lake wants to annex.

ìItís part of the broader picture of what the metro area should like,î Vandeveer said of concerns prompting his bill, speaking prior to Mondayís hearing before the House Local Government Committee.

ìAt some point we want to preserve the characteristics of the communities that are developing in the metro,î he said.

Columbus Town Board Chairman Mel Mettler testified that the township already operates like a city, provides services and had been talking about incorporation for years.

As for the annexation dispute, Mettler explained the township would rather seek a legislative solution to it than a judicial ruling, as it stands to save a big legal fee fighting annexation in court.

Opposition high

But several city associations testified against Vandeveerís bill, complaining it circumvented a tried annexation process and was too broad.

Forest Lake City Administrator Chip Robinson criticized the bill.

ìI really believe the legislation takes away from property rights,î Robinson said.

Robinson chastised Vandeveer for pursuing the legislation without informing the city.

Vandeveer countered by saying he spent an hour in his kitchen with Forest Lake Mayor Terry Smith discussion the annexation issue.

Rep. Mark Olson, R-Big Lake, chairman of the Local Government Committee, backs Vandeveerís bill.

Other committee members were less enthused.

Rep. Debra Hilstrom, DFL-Brooklyn Center, repeatedly questioned why the committee was addressing a specific annexation bill when it was contemplating an overall review.

She also warned the committee could be setting a precedent.

ìRight now I really think weíre weighing in like weíre administrative law judges,î she said.

Hilstrom questioned whether the committee wanted a wash of annexation disputes to come before it.

Vandeveer expressed a willingness to further narrow his legislation if that was troubling the committee.

ìIíd be more than happy to do that,î he said.

But Vandeveerís bill failed on a 8 to 9 vote.

One Republican voting against it was Rep. Morrie Lanning, R-Moorhead, who was mayor of Moorhead for 22 years.

Speaking after the vote, Vandeveer noted that one Republican committee member had been absent for the vote.

It might be possible to have the bill reconsidered, he said.

Vandeveer has a second annexation-related bill scheduled to go before the House Property and Local Tax Committee, a committee he chairs.

That bill could have cities making annual payments to urban towns from increased revenues gained from annexation.

Vandeveerís legislative district serves both Forest Lake and Columbus Township.

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