|
|
|
Wyoming Council welcomes new police officer
|
|
|
|
Wednesday, 01 October 2008
|
Alice Pickering
Wyoming Reporter
The Wyoming Police Department welcomed a new officer, Matthew Paavola, into its ranks.
Paavola was sworn in as an officer at the council meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 16. Attending the ceremony were his parents Janet and Martin Paavola, twin brother Martin, sister Jean, and friends Allison Burns and Rachel Henrich.
Police Chief Scott Dexter administered the oath, with his badge pinned by his mother.
Merger items
In one of the instances where city ordinances and those of the former township must yet be combined into uniform code, city council tabled action on a conditional use permit for Doug Hermes to have a kennel.
Fred Weck, building inspector, explained that the city ordinance requires a kennel permit for more than three dogs, but there is no acreage requirement. The old township ordinance requires a conditional use permit for more than two dogs and an acre per dog.
The planning commission recommended denial of the CUP and the kennel license.
Hermes has had his three dogs for 15 years, which is before the township ordinance was passed. There have been three complaints in that time, all from the same individual. Weck could document only four complaints since 1999.
Hermes explained the reason he applied for the license is merely to keep his pets. The dogs are outside dogs and remain on his property. Occasionally his son visits with his dog. Attorney Dave Snyder explained that regulatory ordinances cannot be grandfathered. This is a matter of conforming lot use.
Council member Joe Zerwas could see no need for the kennel license.
Snyder outlined three options for the council; deny the request, grant it, or ask Hermes to suspend the application pending integration of the city and township ordinances. Suspension of the application would also waive the 60-day rule for a decision on the application. Hermes agreed and the council vote was 5-0 for suspending the application.
Council pay
The council approved an adjustment to council and mayoral salaries, effective in 2009. City Administrator Craig Mattson completed a salary study on compensation for council members and mayors in cities of comparable size.
Any adjustments must be made before the election, which insures that sitting council members are not voting for increases for themselves.
Search results show the average annual wages for elected council members for 15 comparable cities is $3779. The average for mayors of the same 15 cities is $4892.
The proposal is to increase compensation to $4000 for council members and $5000 for the mayor. Mattson said there are adequate reserves to cover the increases.
Council member Blake Tiedeman supported the increase providing there are corresponding ones for members of the other boards. Compensation for other committee members is not the same amount as council members.
The increase passed on a 4-1 vote. Council member Gary Menne voted against the increase because of budget concerns.
257th project
According to Engineer Mark Erichson, there are ongoing negotiations about some of the easements necessary to begin the utility extension and street construction on 257th Street.
This work is tied to the Xccent project. Bids received for the project on July 24, were lower than anticipated and the intent was to award the contract.
However, because the easement issue is unresolved, the project must be re-bid this winter, with work to begin in the spring of 2009.
Levy dispute
Minutes from the special budget meeting held Thursday, Sept 11, were approved by a vote of 4-1, with Menne voting against the action.
Although he voted in favor or the preliminary tax levy on Sept. 11, Menne raised questions about the levy increase, noting that the maximum which it can be increased is 3.9 percent. He believed that the written budget information was received by the council only a short time before the meeting.
Administrator Mattson said his advise from the Minnesota Department of Revenue was to levy to the max, for the preliminary levy. The maximum levy was the original city $1.6 million, which uses part of the former township levy.
Mattson has had discussions with the Dennis J. Freed, Chisago County Auditor, and Janet Reiter, Chisago County Attorney, about the preliminary levy.
There are likely to be adjustments to the city budget so that the levy can be decreased but the amounts approved on Sept. 11, include general operating fund, $2,760.948; bond indebtedness, $503,213; fire hall, $45,718; tax abatement, $35,000, and EDA levy, $42,000; for a total of $3,387,379.
When Menne asked for the letters from those consulted, Mattson explained much of the information was obtained over the phone and that the resolution passed on Sept. 11 is correct based on advice from the authorities consulted. On Sept.11, the vote was unanimous.
Variance
Council approved a variance of the front set-back of 40 feet, to 32 feet and 7 inches in order to allow Chris and Dawn Roche to extend their garage forward. The planning commission recommended denial of the variance request because there was not hardship to the property.
Neighbors Steve Ulrich and Mike Perine supported the Roche request because they cannot build backward or sideways on the property. Roche said other houses are closer to the street than his.
Mattson pointed out that one reason for denial was setting precedent in the event of similar variance requests. Against the recommendation of the planning commission, council members voted 5-0 to grant the variance.
Other actions
Items considered and approved under the consent agenda include authorizing an agreement with the Minnesota Department of Public Safety for project Safe and Sober Communities for the period October 1, 2008 to September 2009.
This allows the police department to execute agreements and amendments necessary to implement the project.
Other business
In other business, the city council:
•Approved Firefighter Mike Jensen as an engineer for the Wyoming Fire Department. The position places him in charge of scheduling maintenance and inspection of all fire apparatus and carries a $750 salary.
•Approved a lot split split for John and Nancy Bergum, 26345 Fenwick Ave. They wish to give the divided land 15 feet by 112 feet to neighbors to the south as a wedding gift, enlarging their lot. Planning recommended approval since all lot dimensions and setbacks would be met on both lots.
•Learned Michael Thomas has been elected as chairman of the planning commission. Frank Storm was elected vice-chair.
•Accepted the reports of Fire Chief Dennis Berry (August 2008), Police Chief Scott Dexter, and Building Inspector Fred Weck.
•Approved minutes from the Sept. 2 regular meeting.
|
|
|
