Posted 1/18/01 Stacy Council confronts diverse agenda at inaugural meeting By Jason Sileo It was new faces and new names at the Stacy City Council meeting Jan. 9, the first meeting for the new sitting council and a new city clerk. Mayor Kathi Lawrence presided over her first official meeting, and newly-elected councilors Barbara Otterson and Kathleen Davidson also made their inaugural appearances. New City Clerk Judy Elton, replacing the retired Connie Donahue, was introduced as well shortly before Mayor Lawrence led those in attendance through the Pledge of Allegiance and a short prayer. The council heard a report from Sandy Boerner, liquor store manager, and then elected to place liquor store remodeling issues on a back burner for the moment. ěWeíve just got a full plate right now,î Mayor Lawrence said, indicating that the issue could be brought forward again in the future. The council approved several new policy practices in order that the city and the liquor store fall into closer compliance per recent city audit findings and directives. Among those were various procedures regarding petty cash disbursements, voided receipt practices, and vendor payments. City Engineer Dan Boyum, of Bonestroo and Associates, reported that results of a recent test of the cityís water tower indicate the interior and exterior paint on the tower are holding nicely and should make it another five years or so before requiring service. Boyum suggested the council begin budgeting money in advance for tower renovations which would likely surface in about five years. The council heard discussion on the city wastewater treatment facility and scheduled a work session to review the plantís operation and design. The council also voted to set up a Stacy-Lent joint powers fire protection hearing for Tuesday, Jan. 30, 7 p.m. at city hall. Also approved was the placing of city legal notices in both the Post Review and the Chisago County Press. ěHalf the town has one paper and half the town has the other and I think, if you want people to be involved in city government, I think they need to know whatís going on,î councilman Mike Haehnel said. The council voted to approve the use of a rubber, ěsignatureî stamp by the mayor for attaching signatures to various city documents. Council member Otterson said she did not approve of the stamp and voted her dissension, but use of the stamp was approved by the 3-1 vote, as council member Cindy Frich had taken early leave from the meeting. A man in the audience said he was not satisfied with the cityís ordinance enforcement regarding ěblinking, flashing signsî in the city limits. The man said he had been denied placement of such a sign in the past, but indicated there was at least one in operation in the city at the time of the meeting. The man said he wanted to see the blinking sign ěshut down tomorrow.î The man said he didnít particularly care about the blinking, flashing sign but that he did care about consistency in enforcement. ěWhen I put my blinking sign out there 15 years ago I was shut down the very next day on it by the city council,î he said. ěThatís why Iím bringing this up, and I think (the blinking sign) should be shut down tomorrow.î ©Post Review