County wonít halt NB projects

By MaryHelen Swanson
It is an unusual and perhaps difficult situation when two county commissioners are leaving their seats just as two major county construction projects are about to be finalized in the city of North Branch.
Commissioner Ben Montzka made an attempt last week to halt the projects for the new government service center and the new Green Acres nursing home until the two newly elected commissioners are on board in January.
ìIt would be respectful of democracy to put it off,î he said, moving to stop the government service building project.
Both of his motions were dashed by a 4-1 vote as the other commissioners agreed to continue to follow a timeline set in March for the projects.
When Montzka moved to halt the progress of the government building he said the Nov. 5 election changed things and that transition was an important part of the American tradition.
Board chairman Bob Vande Kamp felt it would be a conflict of the the time frame motion on record as approved last March.
Commissioner Tom Delaney, said some people made a political issue of the project (he was referring to Green Acres), but said the present board still had several weeks and major decisions left to make.
Commissioner Mike Robinson said it was not right to stop the project completely and suggested a meeting with two current board members and the two new board members with county staff to bring the new commissioners up to speed on the projects.
Delaney said it was essential that the two new commissioners attend a meeting where the architect could make a presentation to them.
Thoreen interjected by saying an orientation meeting was set for Monday, Nov. 25, for the two new commissioners at which time they could learn about the background of both projects.
Vande Kamp reminded everyone of the six-year process to arrive at where the county is today on these projects, and said he didnít see why it had to stop at this point because of the two new commissioners.
Commissioner Bob Gustafson said there is a perception that itís been ram-rodded through and he said that wasnít the case.
He agreed with Robinson that a meeting between the old and new commissioners might clear the air on issues that are not clear.
Montzkaís motion to halt the Green Acres project was met with hard opposition.
Vande Kamp asked Montzka if he had reviewed the implications of his motion on the application to the state for nursing home reform funding which the county applied for in early October.
This state program is to provide a funding mechanism to rebuild Green Acres.
On the Green Acres issue, Delaney also said it was important that the new commissioners be educated on the project. He said the board talked about holding public meetings but just didnít have time.
Vande Kamp, returning to his issue on the impact on the application to the state, said Montzkaís idea would have ìgraveí impact on the application. He suggested that if the board halted the project, the ìpapers or someoneî would call the state at 8 a.m. the next day and the application would be pulled.
With both of Montzkaís motions failing, the board moved on to the public hearing to amend the countyís capital improvement plan to allow for the sale of $2 million in bonds for road construction projects.
The $2 million would be used to improve county roads 7 and 23, with work to begin in 2003, and completion of County Road 37.
Public comment came from Curtis Lendt who said the county should be very cautious about spending at this time.
Don Waller of Wyoming wanted to know the total debt the county has in bonds.
Financial consultant Carolyn Drude, of Ehlers and Associates, said it was $10,850,000.
Bond payments are paid by the county levy? Yes, she said.
Newly elected commissioner Lora Walker asked if the $10 million debt was similar to counties of similar size.
Drude said it was not high, adding that Chisago Countyís debt limit is $41 million.
The board moved to direct staff to submit an amended capital improvement plan to the Department of Trade and Economic Development (DTED).
DTED will have 90 days to review and approve the plan.
The county previously bonded for $6 million for road project, paying off the bond with the annual road levy.
The issues of the North Branch projects continued into the public forum part of the meeting when Curtis Lendt said he couldnít see moving Green Acres.
Wyoming resident Gary Menne said he didnít know what the Green Acres project was all about.
It was agreed that both Lendt and Menne would be given packets of information about the project while Commissioner Delaney iterated that the board should have held a public meeting.
Commissioner-elect Walker requested a public meeting.
County Administrator Jim Thoreen said the board was always open to a public hearing ìand we may do that,î he said.
He said if the county issues bonds, it will have to hold a public hearing.
Commissioner Montzka noted at this point that there is a difference between a required public hearing and informational meeting.
Commissioner-elect Rick Olseen asked that the projects be held up and suggested that the timeline was not set in stone.
Vande Kamp repeated his earlier comment that the vote in March was to meant move forward with the projects on the proposed timeline.
He said until the board directs administration differently, it will move forward.

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