By Anne Thom

The star of the Stacy City Council Tuesday, April 24 was City Building and Code Inspector Jack Kramer who made a rare evening appearance at the council's request.

Three issues were mentioned that Kramer has been pursuing; parking on Sherman Oaks, an illegal parking space in front of a twin home at 5765 Stacy Trail and a resident of the Sunrise Mobile Home Park who has been unlawfully selling cars out of his yard. Also mentioned on the top five list is a property "just north of Doyle Field." Mayor John Daher told Kramer "that really needs to be addressed" without stating the issue at this meeting.

Stacy residents Brad and Melissa Davis had appeared at the April 12 Council Meeting to speak in regard to what they felt was inconsistent enforcement of the city's sign ordinance.

The signs in question advertising real estate are still in place and Kramer mentioned that the real estate agent has applied for a variance to keep his signs in place. On this night, it was city resident Ken Cummings' turn.

Cummings appeared more hurt than upset and started off by addressing both the council and Kramer saying, "In the 20 years we've lived here we've never had issues or problems before." Cummings went on to read a lengthy list of what he felt were inconsistencies in Kramer's enforcement of city ordinances.

The Cummings, who live on Stacy Trail, had last appeared before the council months ago in regard to a letter from Kramer. The family had asked about installing a corn burner which they intended to use to heat their swimming pool. The aroma of the wood they were burning for fuel had ignited some neighbor's fuses. The flames were fanned further when the Cummings had also stockpiled wood.

The council had discussed that there was no issue in the ordinances with a corn burner. At that time the family had been cited for the large wood pile on their property. Cummings said he is now building a 6 foot fence around the back of the house. He reminded the council he had appeared as a courtesy before to ask if there was any objection to a corn burner.

Mayor Daher told Cummings, "The problem comes from not so much what you're doing but (that) we get complaints from your neighbors." He said it has become a public nuisance issue as neighbors have claimed they have to keep their windows closed in the summer due to the smell.

Cummings said the neighbor directly across from him burns garbage. Daher said quickly that in an instance like that, which might be an environmental threat, Cummings should be calling the Sheriff's office.

Cummings also brought up the Pretty Bird company and the stench created by the company when they are formulating foods with a strawberry base, "but they pay more taxes than we do," he said.

Cummings went on, reading from a list and said the Stacy Post Office never shovels the sidewalk and that is a nuisance they don't seem to be cited for. The Cummings family has also recently been tagged for a barking dog by the Chisago County Sheriff's office. Cummings said the family has had the dog for three years and wondered why all of the sudden someone seemed to notice that the dog barks.

Mayor Daher said, "Before Jack (Kramer) sends out a letter it (something) has to violate city ordinance."

The councilors shook their heads as it was remembered that a citizen had once complained to the city about the smell of burned popcorn coming from a neighbor's home.

Cummings suggested the city's nuisance ordinance is vague, he said "it needs to be a little less broad hopefully to satisfy everybody."

Daher, Cummings, the council and Kramer then laughed and Daher said, "That unfortunately will never happen."

Daher said he and the council are listening. They will continue to work with residents who truly want to resolve problems in a civil manner.

City Attorney Peter Grundhoefer was also present for discussion about ordinance and city code violations in the Sunrise Mobile Home Park. He had been asked to research several things including whether or not the city can issue a citation to both the owner of the park and an occupant of the property for the same violation at the same time.

Grundhoefer reported that the law does allow a misdemeanor level citation against a person "...which includes a corporation and can be an owner or an occupant."

Kramer does copy the park's owner each time he sends out a letter to a mobile home occupant regarding a violation. Kramer too has been frustrated that each month he sends out letters for repeat offenses, approximately 6-8 letters per month to different lots within the park. He sends the letter to both the owner and the occupant.

Park residents who continue to regularly attend council meetings have, they said, also complained repeatedly about certain properties and are frustrated as they said they are told "there is nothing we can do" by the park management. Councilor Tony Olivolo, a park resident, made the point the city must get the owners involved. Grundhoefer said he has had ongoing discussion with an assistant county attorney and said they may be moving closer to getting some of the problem property occupants into court.

Each council member had received a memo from Maintenance Supervisor Tom Archibald who along with his crew had started spring cleaning of water lines to coincide with the connection of the main to the city's new water tower. Archibald's letter indicated things had gone well in the process. This had also given Archibald the opportunity to observe the water line maintenance at the mobile home park. Archibald was apparently able to get a good look. He reported one valve not functioning at all on the north side of the park, valves that should have been closed were open and valves that should have been open were closed, and that he could not even locate several valves that were supposed to exist on the south side of the park. One valve that was supposed to be open was located beneath a shed.

Finally it was reported that as the council had thought and Mayor Daher reported at this meeting they were not flushing appropriately over there in the past.

The quality of water service in the Mobile Home Park may improve slightly as Archibald did have the chance to show some proper techniques and procedures to park maintenance staff.

In Other News

• The council, in response to numerous complaints, is planning a "Curfew Enforcement Night." Deputy Cliff Sheppeck will be out issuing warning citations for curfew violators. Juveniles will be warned and taken home to their parents this time. The next time however, Sheppeck may be taking them to the Chisago County Sheriff's office and parents will be summoned to pick up their kids.

• The Lent Township board signed a Joint Resolution for Orderly Annexation and returned it to the Stacy City Council. The motion to accept it was approved. The two lots in question, on the west side of the city south of the ball fields now officially are within Stacy city limits. According to records the lots should have been conveyed to the city in 1978. Paperwork failed to be filed with the county so according to county maps, the lots were within Lent Township. The city learned of this when the newly invigorated Park and Recreation Committee had been looking at city park land and its uses.