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City will seek candidates to fill Bo Bogotty’s seat |
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Cliff Buchan
News Editor
Candidates are being sought to fill Forest Lake Councilman Bo Bogotty’s seat on an interim basis.
The city council by consensus on Monday agreed to put a plan in place that could fill Bogotty’s seat by mid-January. The councilman is now in a rehabilitation facility after suffering a severe stroke nearly two months ago.
By law, the council can appoint a temporary replacement 90 days after Bogotty attended his last meeting. City Administrator Chip Robinson said this week the 90-day period will end on Jan. 14 at which time the seat can be declared vacant by the council.
In agreeing to move forward, the three members of council who attended Monday’s regular meeting, said it was important to have a full five-member board, but to proceed with respect and consideration of Bogotty’s wishes.
Mayor Stev Stegner said he has talked to Bogotty’s wife, Vickie, and she is in agreement with the concept of finding a temporary replacement.
By law, the replacement would serve on an interim basis and must give up the seat if Bogotty is able to resume his duties. Bogotty was elected to a four-year term last fall and is now in the first year of that term.
City Attorney David Hebert said by law the appointed person would serve the remainder of the term, meaning it could not go on the ballot in the 2008 city election.
Council members Susan Young and Greg Ochs agreed it was time to fill the seat and ensure that the council is fully able to do the community’s work.
Ochs insisted that the city “walk gingerly” in moving forward out of respect to Bogotty.
“He (Bogotty) is the elected representative,” Young said, adding the replacement should be considered a “steward” of Boggoty’s seat.
The topic was raised Monday by Stegner who said the availability of only four council members was putting pressure on city officials. He said he has passed up one family trip and cut another short to tend to city business this fall.
Young said she has come to meetings when she was not feeling well. Ochs said a personal conflict will not allow him to attend next Monday’s tax and budget hearing.
Hebert agreed it was prudent to put the wheels in motion now to avoid a six-week appointment process in January. Filling the seat will ease any worries of not having a quorum for meetings and make it easier for the council to proceed on decisions that involve a fourth-fifths council vote.
Councilwoman Judy Bull did not attend Monday’s session.
Under the plan, City Administrator Robinson will advertise for candidates to fill the seat. Applications will be available at Forest Lake City Hall, 220 N. Lake St., until Jan. 14.
He said Tuesday the council should be in a position to name a replacement by Monday, Jan. 28.
Any city resident interested in serving and wanting more details can call Robinson at 651-209-9750.
Fireworks update
A funding plan to help next summer’s Fourth of July fireworks celebration is still to be determined, but one community group is poised to step up and help American Legion Post 225.
Brian Quehl of the Lakes Area Business Association said the organization is seriously considering taking on the lead role in a community fund-raising drive. Quehl said a final decision of the LABA involvement could come soon.
That news came as Rich Weber, Post 225 commander, went before the council Monday to review the fireworks issue.
Weber said the company that supplies the fireworks, Melrose Pyrotechnics, Inc., has agreed to a 2008 fireworks contract of $14,500, an amount equal to the 2007 fee. For 2007, a Post 225 crew shot the fireworks.
Weber said the Legion would welcome the city as a sponsor or co-sponsor for the fireworks but was willing to move forward to make sure the July 4 event continues.
There was reluctance on the council’s part to latch on as the full sponsor, even for one year as Weber suggested.
Young said she could support partial funding but was hesitant from a budget standpoint to commit for the full amount.
Ochs shared that sentiment. “Once we commit, that will be the end of it,” Ochs said, meaning the celebration event would become the city’s responsibility forever.
With the LABA exploring its involvement, no action was taken by the council this week.
Weber said the Legion would execute the contract for the 2008 fireworks display. It was not clear if the Legion would again field a crew to shoot the fireworks or expend additional dollars to hire a Melrose Pyrotechnics crew.
If the LABA enters the picture, it would work with a Legion committee to help raise the $35,000 needed for the celebration fireworks and parade.
Weber said the Legion remained in need of funds to keep pace with property tax demands and building maintenance. Up until this year, funds generated by the Legion from the celebration (concessions, carnival, bingo) have funded the event.
Other business
In other business on Monday, the council:
•Learned that the 2007 delinquent sewer and water bills have reached a record high of $352,154.24. Council voted to certify the debt to the 2008 property tax obligations.
•Would not approve a request by Ellen Paulseth, finance director, to close out the golf course enterprise fund and create its own sub-fund within the general fund. By a 3-0 vote, council agreed to change the fund to a revenue fund within the general fund. The Castlewood Golf Course is on track to showing a profit and currently has just under $68,000 in its account.
•Tabled a decision because of Bull’s absence to consider a change in the outdoor entertainment ordinance that will allow bars and restaurants to have six outdoor events with sound amplifiers each year rather than three which is the rule now.
•Approved a preliminary plat for the 40-acre Herrick Industrial Park, including a three-lot first phase. The development, which includes a new east-west road, is south of Eagle Trucking and east of the airport, will also include improvements to Forest Road.
•Approved a concept plan for a subdivision and a commercial planned unit development for a 15.1 acre parcel south of Gateway Green and north of the MnDOT truck station west of I-35. The Palme Plaza project includes three commercial-retail buildings and will require the developers to improve Everton Avenue.
•Approved resolutions authorizing the Washington County Housing and Redevelopment Authority to undertake the Hardwood Creek Trails Apartment affordable housing development in the Headwaters project, and supporting the HRA’s application for a community development block grant and other federal funds to assist with land acquisition and construction costs for the 70-unit, three-story building. The city is backing the creation of a county tax-increment financing district to capture tax dollars to assist the HRA project and the Walker senior housing project.
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