Posted 1/3/01
Gustafson returns as county board chairman
By MaryHelen Swanson
First District Chisago County Commissioner Bob Gustafson was reelected by 4-1 as county board chairman at the boardís organizational meeting Jan. 2. Commissioner Bob Vande Kamp was elected by white ballot as vice chairman.
In his opening remarks for the year, Commissioner Gustafson said the board had a good year last year and hoped that they would continue to work together as well this year. He stressed the importance of board members being respectful of each other.
The board went on to adopt Roberts Rules of Order and set meeting days for the coming year.
Breaking from the tradition of the past few years, the board, after significant discussion, agreed to hold two of its three meetings in the evening. Currently two are during the day, one is at night.
The monthly schedule will be as follows: first and third Wednesdays at 6:30 p.m. and fourth Wednesday meeting at 9 a.m.
Initially, Commissioner Tom Delaney moved to adopt the same days as this year, with Commissioner Vande Kamp seconding his motion.
But 4th District Commissioner Ben Montzka amended the motion to change the third-week meeting to an evening meeting. He had the hour set at 7 p.m.
Commissioner Delaney felt the evening meeting would create a hardship for some employees, for example, Health and Human Services (HHS) staff would have to stay late on those evenings.
He also noted that the board would not have the expertise at hand of other employees who would have gone home and he pointed out that the one evening meeting held in the past was not well attended unless there was a special issue.
Gustafson said he has advocated more evening meetings and suggested that HHS could be changed to the fourth week of the month. Later in the meeting, HHS Director David Sainio said it would be fine to change the meeting to the fourth week.
County Administrator Jim Thoreen also thought it would be more problematic to have meetings in the evening, especially with compensation time and overtime issue and scheduling state agency representatives and other out of county presenters. But he said the board can have its meeting whenever it wishes.
In some of his first statements as commissioner, Mike Robinson referred to his campaign promise to make it easier for working persons to be county commissioners.
Commissioner Montzka said there could be some good from this change and that could be in better citizen involvement at the board level.
Voting in favor of the new meeting schedule were Commissioners Robinson, Montzka and Gustafson; Commissioners Vande Kamp and Delaney opposed.
As the organization continued, the board unanimously chose the Post Review as the official county paper for publication of minutes and official notices including delinquent tax notices.
They kept the beaver bounty at $30 and appointed all five commissioners, county administrator, engineer and HHS director to the Association of Minnesota Counties (AMC).
The board also left meal reimbursements the same: $8 for breakfast, $9 for lunch and $16 for dinner.
Dr. Lindsey Thomas was reappointed as county coroner.
The board also moved to allow a contract between the county and Center City for building inspection services, contingent upon the county attorney reviewing the contract.
Also on the agenda for Tuesday was an item regarding Winton Walters and the operating engineers of Local 49 who may come to the county soon for permission to operate a heavy equipment operator training facility in Chisago County.
According to Environmental Services Director Marion Heemsbergen, they will need about 300 acres of sand field to practice moving dirt around. A potential site is on Co Rd. 67 between Hwy. 95 and Co. Rd. 9. Heemsbergen said there might have to be a rezoning to accommodate this, the county might need to amend the ordinance and comprehensive plan or even create a whole new zone. There were too many unknowns for Heemsbergen to comment on the request and Walters himself was not able to attend the meeting.
Administrator Thoreen noted that the training facility is currently in Rosemount on property owned by the University of Minnesota which is possibly being sold by the university.
During discussion, Commissioner Vande Kamp said the concept was unique and would need careful scrutiny but that the 49ers should be allowed to apply for a permit to operate the facility.
Commissioner Delaney felt there was too little information to even discuss it this week.
This discussion led to informal talk about the countyís long-term plans with Heemsbergen saying they should get back to a 20-year vision.
That discussion led to the issue that the board addressed at its last meeting when it approved the 99-unit seasonal park on Sunrise Lake.
Delaney asked Heemsbergen what had changed from 1987 when the request was denied and also if Heemsbergen felt the county ordinances were detailed enough to prevent grey areas in decision-making.
Heemsbergen replied that there had been some changes since the ë87 denial including Shoreland Management revisions in ë92 and change in planning commission membership.
He challenged the commissioners saying ìIf you didnít like to see this (approval of the seasonal park) you should change the ordinance.î
Pressing Heemsbergen, Delaney again asked if he (Heemsbergen) was comfortable with the present ordinance. Heemsbergen replied that the boardís decision was legally allowed, but reiterated that if the majority of the board feels it wasnít right they should change the ordinance.
If the board feels they donít want these things, they should say so, Heemsbergen said.
Delaney responded saying itís not so much that the board doesnít want them, itís a question of where they should go.
Administrator Thoreen said it comes down to property ownersí rights and what the county feels is best for everyone.
Vande Kamp said he wasnít sure the comprehensive plan reflects what the county wants today. He noted that there is much less ag land to preserve than there was when the comprehensive plan was created.
Still, he said it is an exciting time to be on the board. He said the million dollar question now is, ìHow do you want to see the county develop in the next 20 years?î
The board adopted its committee assignments at this meeting also adding two new committees - the Chisago City-Wyoming Township Industrial Park Task Force which was assigned to Gustafson and Montzka, and the Southern Chisago County Coalition assigned to Delaney. A complete list of assignments can be obtained at the administratorís office.
The next board meeting will be at 6:30 p.m. Jan. 17.