By Anne Thom

The times are changing in Stacy, to paraphrase Bob Dylan. The look of the city has decidedly improved with new commercial development, and city personnel will be changing as well with the hiring of a new liquor store manager and a part-time city maintenance person. Other changes were discussed at the Oct. 25 council meeting as well.

PERSONNEL

The city of Stacy has a contract with Landform for city planning services for the current calendar year. City Clerk Sharon Payne told the council she had recently received a phone call from City Planner Samantha Crosby, the Landform contracted employee, asking ìHow are things in Stacy?î Payne said she then subsequently received a bill from Landform for $60, a portion of which was attributed to the phone call Crosby had made to the city clerkís office.

Payne said she was unaccustomed to being billed by someone soliciting business from the city. Mayor Michael Carlson said to the council that the contract will be coming up for renewal and that the city would need to give Landform 30 days notice if the contract would not be renewed.

Councilman John Daher said, ìOverall Iíve been satisfied with the work done by Landform, but not happy with their billing practices.î
The council voted to not renew the contract with Landform.

City Engineer Chuck Schwartz advised the council that the firm he is contracted from, Bonestroo and Associates, has personnel who could provide city planning services. The council was interested. Schwartz presented a memo reviewing the projects he is involved in and the status of those projects.

The council put off a decision for now on a new contract for city planning services but will possibly consider Sherry Buss of Bonestroo to replace Crosby.

The City Council met with the Lent Township Board of Supervisors on Oct. 17. The city has received a letter from Lent Clerk Betsy Randt stating the result of an agreement reached at that meeting.

The Lent Town Board will release to the city of Stacy that part of Section 32 east of the Interstate that remains in Lent Township with the following conditions:

ï There will be no hostile annexation of Lent Township by the City of Stacy for a period of fifteen (15) years;

ï If any current Lent Township resident or landowner, who is at present contiguous with the boundaries of the City of Stacy and wishes to be annexed into the city of Stacy, regardless of size, Lent Township will not oppose provided that:

ï The annexed parcel abides by the city ordinances for any subdivision which includes city sewer and water services.
A follow-up meeting is planned for Dec. 12 to review and finalize the agreement.

HOUSING DEVELOPMENTS

A public hearing is scheduled for Nov. 22, at 6:30 p.m. to discuss details of selling tax forfeited land claimed by the city to developer Dan Birdsall. The land in question is adjacent to Townís Edge development, a Birdsall project.

A second issue spearheaded by a visit from Birdsall several weeks ago was revisited: the street lighting ordinance.

A draft of an amended ordinance was presented and it stated that the applicant would have to present a street lighting plan to the Planning Commission and to the City Council for review and approval. The current ordinance language states a specific design to insure uniformity.

Daher took exception to the revision saying that just because a developer has now come to the council and said he doesnít want to use the current standard because it has become too expensive, the ordinance is thrown out or changed.

ìThe way the new one is written, there is no standard at all,î Daher said. Street lighting was referred back to the Planning Commission.

Other business addressed:

ï Schwartz has received a revised cost sharing agreement with the cities of Wyoming and Chisago City over the sharing of mains to the Chisago Lakes Joint Sewage Treatment Commission (CLJSTC) project. Schwartz will attend the next CLJSTC meeting. There will be a tour of the CLJSTC on Nov. 10 at 2 pm.

ï Archibald reported he had received a call of low water pressure in the area of 311th, which he had taken care of. Councilmember Barbara Otterson asked Archibald if he knew about the streetlight that is out at 314th. She was concerned that this be taken care of before Halloween. Archibald replied the outage has been reported to Xcel Energy.

ï City Inspector Jack Kramer had brought a list of repairs that he has ordered for various addresses in the Sunrise Mobile Home Park. Kramer has asked the council for a meeting to discuss the orders.

ï Some complaints have been received on the location of a dumpster at Stacy Commons. Citizens are complaining about the smell and Children of Peace Daycare reports the smell is so bad they cannot open their windows. The dumpster is located in close proximity to the day care entrance raising a concern about debris, including garbage and broken glass, around the dumpster. A citizen has also informed the city the building is not handicap accessible.

ï An appeals and equalization course will be presented by the Minnesota Department of Revenue on Wed., Nov.16 at 6 p.m. at the Chisago County Government Center. John Keefe, Chisago County Assessor, had sent a memo to the townships and cities reminding public officials that a 2003 state law requires at least one voting member of the Local Board of Appeal and Equalization must have attended this training. Daher and Aslakson have attended training in 2005.

ï A resolution adopting the National Incident Management System (NIMS) as the basis for all incident management within the city was approved. NIMS calls for uniformity and standardization in planning, coding, personnel, communications and response procedures regardless of jurisdiction. Daher cited the potential for three types of disaster as the basis for the importance of adopting the resolution; blizzard, tornado or hazardous materials released.

ï The question came up posed by Mayor Michael Carlson ìdo we want to consider a quarterly newsletter?î City Clerk Sharon Payne brought up the communication tool the newsletter in order to inform residents of city business that might impact them.

ï Aaron Backman has resigned his seat on the Planning Commission. The city will be looking to replace Backmanís seat as soon as possible.

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