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| Questions swirl over 2008 Wyoming city election |
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| Wednesday, 20 August 2008 | |
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Cliff Buchan News Editor Just who ends of serving on a new Wyoming City Council this month and next year is a matter yet to be determined. And the final answer may not be known by the time the filing period for the city council election opens next Tuesday. Still waiting to be decided is the final approval of the city and Wyoming Township orderly annexation agreement. That task falls to the Office of Administrative Hearings Boundary Adjustment Unit and Supervising Judge Bruce Johnson, the assistant chief administrative law judge who supervises the unit. Following Judge Steve Mihalchick’s ruling in the Chisago City hostile annexation case on Friday, the city-township orderly annexation agreement must go before the boundary adjustment unit for final approval. Christine Scotillo, director of the unit, said that could come as early as today (Thursday) when the unit is slated to meet. “It may,” she said of the agreement landing on the unit’s agenda. “We are still processing the decision,” she said, referring to the ruling last Friday. Judge Mihalchick’s ruling in essence set the boundaries of the combined Wyoming but it is the unit’s job to handle the final approval. Scotillo said it is the unit’s “primary focus” to make sure the legal descriptions of the new Wyoming are accurate as to “what went where and what is left.” Vote question Scotillo said the election question for the combined Wyoming could be filled with uncertainty. And it is also linked to when the boundary adjustment unit can finish is work on the Wyoming orderly annexation agreement, she said. Under that agreement, the city and Wyoming Township agreed to a process where two members of the city council would resign. Two members of the former town board would be appointed to the council to fill their seats and provide representation for township residents. In light of public opposition earlier this year to that plan, some modifications may be attempted. The city council was slated to meet in regular session Tuesday night to discuss an option for a full election in November of all five council seats, said Mayor Sheldon Anderson. The Wyoming Town Board has also called an emergency meeting for Wednesday night to review the same option, said Fred Weck, zoning administrator. Scotillo said it would be left to legal counsel to sort out what can actually happen in terms of the election process and if the orderly annexation agreement can be changed to call for a full election. “They might need to amend their original agreement,” she said of the city council and town board. She added, however, that the election question may need the final opinion of officials of the Minnesota Secretary of State and the Minnesota Attorney General. Anderson said it is imperative that some decision be reached before next Tuesday when the 14-day filing period opens. The mayor’s seat plus the council seats held by Tom LaBarre and Blake Tiedeman are up for election on Nov. 4. The mayor’s term is for two years while both council seats are for four years. Scotillo said it is uncertain as to what happens to the election process if the agreement is not approved prior to that filing date. The ultimate decision could be that the city proceeds with its current election plan with the existing city council carrying on the function of governing the combined city. Town residents in November would vote for city council members that follow the existing election schedule. Social Bookmarking ...       |
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