By Aaron Vehling

The Stacy City Council appointed Barb Otterson to fill a vacant seat on the council Tuesday night (Jan. 25), but not without some contention.

Otterson, a former councilwoman who served from 2000 to 2004, was one of three people who expressed interest in the seat. The other two interested parties were Barb Wilson and David Cook, who were both at the meeting. Otterson will fill the seat left vacant by Katie Davidson, who resigned last month.

Councilman Mel Aslakson supported Wilsonís bid for the seat and moved for her appointment.
Aslakson said that Wilson, who lives in the mobile home park, would be an asset to the council.

ìI think we need more input from that side of the city,î he said.
No one seconded the motion and as a result, it failed.

Councilman John Daher nominated Otterson, citing her experience on the council and the fact that she narrowly lost her bid for re-election. Councilman John Walz seconded the nomination. Aslakson was the sole opponent to Ottersonís appointment.

Wilson, a 15-year resident of Stacy, had concerns with the decision.

ìYou know nothing about me,î she told the council. ìNo one even cared to find out anything about me.î

She said she was disappointed by what she perceived was a lack of change in Stacy.

ìI am hopeful that someone can buy my mobile home so that I can pack my bags and move out of there,î Wilson said.

Daher, who was appointed to fill a vacant seat in April 2003 and was recently elected to a special 2-year term, addressed Wilson.

ìYour letter didnít show a lot of interest,î he said to Wilson, noting that when he applied to be on the council he wrote a full-page letter of interest. Wilson, conversely, wrote just a paragraph expressing her interest. ìI showed them my qualifications (in the letter).î

Wilson said that part of the reason she did not specify in the letter the reasons she wanted to be on the council was because she thought it was the councilís obligation to get to know her better.
Daher did not agree with her.

ìWhen someone runs for office,î he said, ìthey campaign. When Mel ran for office, he went door-to-door.î

Daher also responded to Wilsonís allegations that the City of Stacy would never change.

ìThe council has made a lot of accomplishments over the last two years,î he said, citing the business park. ìWe have been trying to get business into this town to reduce tax burden on the homeowners.î

Cook, who has become a regular attendee of a variety of Stacy committee and council meetings, was appointed to the ordinance committee later on in the evening.

In other council news:
ïThe council discussed the idea of increasing sewer and water rates.
One proposal saw water increasing from $30 to $30.90 per quarter and sewer increasing from $40 to $41.20 per quarter.

City engineer Chuck Schwartz advised that it is better for the city to go with the rate of inflation, which is 3.5 percent, rather than waiting years and then instituting big increase.
The council is holding a public meeting at 6 p.m. March 8 at the city hall to discuss the matter. They will also discuss the idea of billing monthly or b-monthly for sewer and water.

ïRoyal Concrete in Stacy wrote a proposal to the city requesting that the city replace their 24-inch plastic storm sewer pipes from Foxtail Woods to the Sunrise River with those that are 24-inch concrete. The cost of the concrete segments for the city would be $8500, with Royal picking up the rest.

The council voted against the proposal, with Aslakson abstaining because of a potential conflict of interest.
Daher voted in favor of it.

ìI am a much bigger believer in concrete than I am in plastic,î he said. ìIt's a local company. We should try to support them if have ability to do it.î

City clerk Sharon Payne reminded the council that the item is not budgeted for next year.

ìWe could move the money around in the general fund,î she said, ìbut we already did that with the truck.î
Otterson agreed with both Daher and Payne.

ìIíd like to give money to a business in the city,î she said, ìbut it would be a financial burden for the city.î
Schwartz said that he had no problem with the use of plastic pipes.

ïSchwartz recommended that the council look into hiring a city planner who could address a possible comprehensive plan and further city development. City attorney Peter Grundhoefer agreed with the recommendation.

ìIt would be an important role for city,î he said. ìThe individual would help create a vision for what the city will look like.î

Schwartz said that it is something that the council should look into for 2006.

ïMayor Carlson declared the installation of paths in the city a dead issue.
Instead, he suggested that the council look into using the DNR outdoor recreation grant for upgrading the main park.

Schwartz elaborated on the sea change.

ìThe timeliness of the trail project made it impossible,î he said. ìThe outdoor recreation grant from the DNR gives us a little more wiggle room.î

That grant deadline is not until the end of March, he added.

ìLetís give this place a face lift,î he said.
The plan would include beautifying the entrance and installing interwoven trails. They would keep the existing play equipment, but add more equipment for children under five years old.

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