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County board receives districts decisionBy MaryHelen Swanson While three Chisago County residents objected to the redistricting map chosen by the county commissioners about a month ago, and filed for Writs of Mandamus, the map stands as chosen. This was by order of District Court Judge David E. Doyscher who said both petitions for a Writ, that of Mark Oberg and Donald Waller and that of Bill Neuman, were denied. The issue was in court June 10 and Judge Doyscher made his decision June 11. Judge Doyscher concluded that the county commissioners had provided a rational basis for adopting Plan C, as the option is called, and that they had not abused their discretion in adopting the plan. He also noted that all of the plans considered by the commissioners fell within the mandatory 10 percent limitations of the statute. In making his determination, Judge Doyscher did review all of the plans prepared for the commissionerís as they attempted to redistrict according to law. Elections up next Filing for county commissioner began yesterday, July 2. Interested persons should file with the County Auditorís office at the Government Center in Center City. Commissioner districts where elections will be needed this year are 1, 2 and 4. Incumbents in these districts are Commissioners Tom Delaney, Bob Vande Kamp and Ben Montzka respectively. Elections in commissioner districts 3 and 5 will take place in 2005. Currently holding office in those districts are Bob Gustafson and Mike Robinson. Zoning, planning work takes time The five-member county planning commission, appointed, unpaid, except for a small per diem, puts in many hours, meeting several times a month, if needed, to deal with all the issues on their plate. At last weekís county board meeting, Environmental Services Director Marion Heemsbergen said one of the issues the county must deal with is the ìAg Landî label for rural property when it should be ìAg Zone.î The lack of distinction is a cause for concern and adds to the problems in dealing with development issues, he said. This was particularly true in a recent board decision to deny a subdivision presented by Jerry Carlson for 14 lots in Fish Lake Township. Seven items were listed as areas that need to be completed or addressed in the near future, including commercial use zones, land use around cities, Hwy. 8 setbacks, gravel mining, completion of the OES task force work, completion of the Sunrise River overlay project, and buffers within in residential development in ag zoning. Commissioner Ben Montzka moved to formally assign these items to the consultant. But Heemsbergen noted that some of the items are nearly finished, such as the gravel mining and essential services and others are already being addressed. Commissioner Tom Delaney said he felt adopting a motion would only put additional pressure on the planning commission. Montzka withdrew his motion contingent upon the board keeping the seven issues alive. ©ECM Post Review |