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Wyoming annexation debate is on |
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Wednesday, 26 March 2008 |
Alice Pickering
Wyoming Area Reporter
If the first day of testimony is any indication, the administrative hearings to consider various claims of annexation of Wyoming Township by Chisago City, Stacy and Wyoming will take some time. Teams of attorneys represented each of the three cities; Chisago City, Stacy and the city of Wyoming and Wyoming Township.
Administrative Law Judge Steven Mihalchick heard testimony from Chisago City Mayor Don Taylor and John Pechman, city administrator on Monday.
Taylor is a resident of a former part of Wyoming Township which was annexed to Chisago City in 2005. He has since been elected to the Chisago City council and is now mayor.
Questioning by Christopher Hood, Flaherty & Hood, revealed that Taylor was opposed to the first annexation action by Chisago City. He disagreed with the hostile action and helped make signs and distribute buttons in opposition to it.
Taylor said he now supports the current annexation plan as an official of Chisago City is tied to his experiences earlier.
He had an emotional reaction to the initial annexation and the tough decisions involved. Because of his experience, he wanted to mediate the annexation, give a forum to residents for the annexation action.
He said there had initially been no plans to petition for further annexation to Chisago City. Once Chisago City knew about the Wyoming joint negotiations, it asked to participate in them. One goal of the Chisago City petition for (a second) annexation was to get Wyoming and Wyoming Township to the table to negotiate with it and residents.
Chisago City has repeatedly petitioned to participate in the annexation discussions. Taylor said he thought it would be better for discussion in a friendly manner.
In Sept. 9, 2005 Chisago City petitioned the city and township to participate in discussions. The city had no response from the city and a letter from the township that Chisago City would not be allowed to participate except at the public hearing. There have been other requests to participate which have been turned down by Wyoming and Wyoming Township.
There have been repeated requests to participate in the negotiations, but just as often refusals. There have been petitions from Wyoming township residents to be annexed to Chisago City. On cross examination Tim Sime, attorney for the city and town of Wyoming, asked if these had been solicited from residents by the city.
Taylor said the annexation of another section of Wyoming Township will be in the best interest of residents living in the contested area. Chisago City is in a better position to provide service to the area; access to the areas are more direct from the Chisago side of the township, closer to the infrastructure being already in the ground, he said.
Sime’s cross examination focused on the petitions of the few Wyoming Township residents who have said they want to join with Chisago City. There have also been petitions by some township residents to be annexed to Wyoming.
The maps showing color-coded parcels indicating a preference for Chisago City or Wyoming in the area which Chisago City is attempting to annex looks like the edge of an unfinished jig-saw puzzle. Which ever way the decision is made,
While Taylor could not comment on whether or not the petitioners still held the same opinion about wanting to annex to Chisago City, the current views of residents could be determined at the Wednesday evening public hearing.
Most of the questions for Pechman, Chisago City administrator concerned the city’s comprehensive plan, city organization, and staffing. Attorney Robert Scott focused particularly on the comprehensive plan.
Questions posed by Scott, related to city organization, number of employees in each department, capital equipment, fire protections, WAC and SAC, and how annexing land and residents would affect the governmental structure in Chisago City, and need for additional employees. The joint powers agreement about the pipelines and joint sewer system were discussed.
The most recent land use plan completed by Chisago City extends beyond the land proposed in its annexation petition. Pechman explained that the city is looking at long term growth, a broader look at the area around the city rather than just inside city boundaries. There was consideration of land outside the city as far back as the 2002 comprehensive plan.
Zoning west of US-8 includes commercial area west of Green Lake, south of the intersection of CR-22 and US- 8.
Pechman acknowledged that with annexation would put the city population over 5000. With that added population, the city would qualify for state aid for streets and roads.
Sime’s questions to Pechman related to those who had petitioned to join with Chisago County, whether there had been any change in position. He did not know of any changes. Although most petitions appeared on Chisago County forms, Pechman said there had been no campaign to encourage petitions into the city.
One main outcome of questioning was that while Pechman said that Chisago City had not intended to petition to further annex land in the township, “it had never formally agreed that it would not pursue further annexation.”
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