Alice Pickering
Wyoming Area Reporter

A resolution authorizing the city of Wyoming and Wyoming Township to continue to work with the law firm Rinke-Noonan to complete orderly annexation was approved by the Wyoming City Council Wednesday, March 8.

The vote was unanimous, 4-0 with CM Tom LaBarre absent.

The court hearing for the city and township is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. Wednesday, April 12, in Ramsey County Court.

The two Wyoming units of government are asking the court to order the state planning agency to approve the orderly annexation agreement that is in place.

More on license

A decision to grant the Forest Lake Lions a permit to conduct charitable gambling at the Stars and Strikes entertainment complex was tabled once again by the Wyoming City Council on March 8.

Stars and Strikes owners have had their request tabled three times.

Ten members and officers of the Forest Lake Lions, including President Lloyd Sather, attended the meeting to speak in support of the Stars and Strikes request to conduct lawful gambling at its facility.

Sather spoke specifically about the Forest Lake Lions history of diversity in giving in the Forest Lake and Wyoming areas.

Representatives from Lions organizations in Brooklyn Park and Corcoran also attended the meeting in support.

Sather spoke to the ìability of the Forest Lake Lions to conduct charitable gambling,î having 15 years of experience. The organization is seeking to expand its geography.

It also supports Community Helping Hand in Forest Lake, lately partnering with the Forest Lake Area Clergy Association to refer people from all over the community to this community resource and food bank which serves the Wyoming area.

The proposal was first presented at the Feb. 7 meeting which was cancelled. Action was tabled again on Feb. 21.

Job-related commitments had prevented CM Ted Phillips from attending the last two meetings.

He asked for time to review the petition. Later, a frustrated Betsy Rud, a Starts and Strikes owner, said that the repeated delays are ìcreating a hardship for our business.î

City reports

Council approved the purchase of a topper for the fire chiefís truck. It serves as a first-responder unit, with side-door access to the equipment which must be protected from the elements.

In addition, Fire Chief Dennis Berry told the council that for the unit he would like to have for the truck, the rear can be raised to provide an awning-like cover to serve as an incident command post.

Berry estimates the cost of the standard unit topper to be about $2000. Approval was unanimous.

The fire department was also authorized to purchase or lease a new photocopy machine. Council approved spending of up to $2700.

According to Berry, the one the department has cannot be repaired because parts are not available.

A variance request for a larger sign was approved for Stars and Strikes entertainment complex.

Rud said there will be no flashing lights on the sign, but scrolling lines in red letters. Attorney Travis Stottler suggested some small language changes.

The variance was approved conditional to these language changes.

By a vote of 4-0, council unanimously approved the appointments of Shelly Elmore and Jerry Owens to the Economic Development Authority. Both had submitted letters of interest in serving on the commission.

A Wyoming Township resident, Elmore is the director of marketing and special project publishing for Twin Cities Business magazine.

In addition, she has a wide variety of business and administrative experiences related to marketing and promotion. Owens, also a local resident, owns a printing business in St. Paul.

There were questions about posting, advertising and if there were specific criteria for selection.

In response to questions, Mayor Sheldon Anderson said the positions are not posted as those for employees are, but are appointees, subject to council approval.

He believes those who submitted letters will be assets to the EDA.

The council also approved the appointment of Frank Salava to the planning commission.

Authorization was given to staff to begin some cosmetic remodeling of the city offices. This includes paint, carpets and furniture for staff.

The only exception was to leave selection of the furniture for the administratorís office until that individual is selected.

Phillips asked to see the proposed costs for these improvements.

By a vote of 3-1, council passed a resolution supporting the Minnesota Alliance for Safe Highways. This means the city opposes a MnDOT proposal to allow increases in the maximum size and weight of trucks on highways.

Federal regulations limit the size and weight of trucks on interstate highways, so the effect would be to divert more of these heavy vehicles onto state and county highways, increasing traffic on these roads about 20 percent.

Phillips voted against the resolution. He wanted to table the decision.

Acting Police Chief Scott Dexter provided more details about an emergency response on Feb. 27.

He said a female patient was in cardiac arrest and in critical condition.

He has since learned that she has returned home after hospitalization and is recovering more there.

Other business

In other business, the council

ïAfter a public hearing was closed, council passed a resolution adopting the Minnesota State Building Code and one of the city ordinances.

ïAuthorized repayment to the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development. The city was awarded a grant from the Minnesota Investment Fund of $120,000 which it then loaned to Regal Machine.

Because Regal did not meet its job creation goals in the business subsidy part of the agreement, the city must repay it.

The repayment includes an additional $10,182 in interest.

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