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County says no to Lent waiverBy MaryHelen Swanson Without officially taking action, the Chisago County Board of Commissioners apparently said ìnoî to Lent Township last week on a request to waive a portion of its building permit fee as Lent moves ahead with a new fire hall project. Lent Township representatives had been to the board May 1 asking for this waiver. County staff subsequently recommended denial. In a memo from the county administratorís office available at the board meeting last week, it said granting this request would set precedent for other public facilities where the county acts as building inspector. It went on to say that since the Environmental Services Department (zoning) is fee-funded, if its revenues were reduced, it would force the county to seek funding from the property tax. The memo noted that since the life expectancy of public facilities is at least 20 years, the fee, amortized over that period of time, would be ìquite insignificant.î With that recommendation in place, Commissioner Tom Delaney attempted to pass a motion offering the township a ìgrantî in the amount of 50 percent of the $7,800 permit fee, with a provision that this grant also apply to future requests for fire, rescue and public safety facilities. His motion died for lack of a second. After continued discussion, Commissioner Ben Montzka, with a second from Delaney, moved to refer a potential countywide grant program for essential public service facilities to the board budget committee for consideration. This motion failed 3-2 with commissioners Mike Robinson, Bob Gustafson and Bob Vande Kamp opposing. Lent Township Supervisor Gene Olson, present at the meeting, told the board to let the issue rest, that he understood the answer was no. More open hours for NB library requested The commissioners reviewed a letter from East Central Regional Library Board member Verna Hoppe and North Branch City Administrator John Moosey asking the county to fund an additional five open hours for the North Branch library. In the letter, the two noted that the county funds five addition hours for the Rush City Library and also that the city of North Branch recently agreed to fund an additional seven hours for the NB library bringing it up to 39 hours of operation. With the many recent requests for more hours and new buildings (libraries), Commissioner Bob Vande Kamp said during discussion of the request that the ECRL board should be getting the message they are not providing enough services. He noted that Chisago County supports the library system with over $300,000 a year and he didnít think Chisago County was getting its fair share from the system. The funding matter was, by consensus, referred to the board budget committee. In other business last week, the commissioners: ï Heard a request from Scott and Laura Bowen, owners of the Grant House in Rush City, for curb repair on Co. Rd. 55. The matter was turned over to the highway department. The Bowens are renovating the historical building and want a safe curb and sidewalk available to patrons. ©ECM Post Review |