By Anne Thom
“If you guys are here to complain I don’t want to hear about it,” Stacy Councilor Tony Olivolo said to the gentlemen seated at the council meeting last week. But the point of audience anticipation was a letter of interest seeking a seat on the city’s ordinance committee.

It seems that 16-year-old Mark Ness, the son of a former city councilor and a student at North Branch Area High School, was interested in doing his civic duty and requested a seat on that committee.

“I think it’s great a gentleman of your age is getting interested in these things,” said Mayor John Daher.
Councilor Mark Utecht asked what will happen in two years when Ness graduates from high school and goes to college?

Ness said he was not sure how long he would stay in Stacy, but could commit for at least the next two years.

Utecht told him meetings are typically held in the afternoon.

Ness said he wouldn’t be available until early evening. He does get home from school around 3:15. The only other conflict is his participation in speech on Tuesdays.

Daher had City Clerk Sharon Payne check with City Attorney Peter Grundhoefer on Ness’s eligibility. They verified he could indeed be seated as a junior member of the ordinance committee.

The council discussed it and agreed they would be able to change the meeting time if necessary and the motion to appoint Ness, with a “welcome” from the council, passed. The city council invites citizens of any age interested in participating in city government to apply.

Council responds to report of diseased trees
Recently, former councilor Mel Aslakson brought a concern about diseased trees in the area of 307th. 

Maintenance supervisor Jon Ehlert said he checked with a forester who would not recommend that the city get a tree inspection this time of year. Ehlert said the forester told him the money is better spent in looking at the trees when the leaves are in place.

Daher said the reason he wants to know now is because Aslakson “has  asked where the transparency and accountability are. He seems quite sure these trees are diseased. I am not sure he’s a forester, a CPA, but not a forester,” Daher said

Councilor Utecht had a question, “If a tree is dying or dead, is it Dutch elm disease?”

Councilor Utecht said there are specific trees Aslakson asked about and if a forester was told to specifically look at those trees, there doesn’t have to be leaves to assess a state or condition of disease.  Utecht said the trees should be looked at sooner rather than later.

Ehlert said, “I am not a forester” but said he had learned some things over the phone about tree diseases. Beetles spread Dutch elm and beetles are dormant in the winter.

Daher said, “So it’s not a concern of disease spreading any further in the winter.”  Daher said Aslakson is the only one who has reported any concerns and Daher has an issue with one individual coming to the council with a concern and forcing the city to spend money perhaps unnecessarily.

Utecht  suggested the city ask Aslakson to mark the trees he is concerned about and have the forester look only at those trees.

Daher said the trees are on private property and Aslakson is not a representative of the city.

“All I’m looking for is some direction,” Ehlert said.

Councilor Michael Carlson said if an expert has told the city what to do, he would agree, but “if a forester said spring, I’ll go spring.”  Utecht said he is looking for the forester to state it would have some benefit to have them come out now.

Daher directed Ehlert to speak to the forester and ask if there is any benefit to look at those trees now and if there is a danger in waiting until spring. If Ehlert is told the city shouldn’t wait, how much will it cost and how soon can they do it. Ehlert will contact the forester and ask for the information in writing.

LS Power is not our business
Wyoming Mayor Sheldon Anderson sent a letter and resolution supporting construction of the LS Power Plant in Lent Township. Wyoming asked Stacy to pass a similar resolution to be presented at the Nov. 22 meeting.

Mayor Daher wasn’t at the meeting where the Coalition of Concerned Citizens presented their objections to the council. He said he understands there are positives and there are negatives.

Councilor Carlson said, “Some things in this letter are not actually true,” as he reviewed the resolution. For example, Carlson said ground water would be used. Carlson said his biggest problem is the lack of information. 

Daher said citizens have expressed concern to him about groundwater usage. LS will be drilling a well. The plant will be fired by natural gas, and Daher said he couldn’t confirm if it will be a combination of natural gas and diesel.

Daher is betting if natural gas gets expensive, LS would use diesel. He said Lent residents have expressed concerns about the number of trucks that will be hauling hazardous materials through the area.

“I agree with you there needs to be a lot more information put out there but there are a lot of positives,” Daher said. He applauds the promise of 500 jobs in the county but acknowledged that not all of those 500 people employed by LS would be county residents.

Olivolo said LS would use local suppliers.

Utecht agreed that many supplies would be local saying, “I have no doubt there will be a financial gain for the community and I have no doubt there will be a natural resource impact.” But he said it isn’t Stacy’s decision and the council’s role shouldn’t be to draft a resolution “supporting it or not.” The issue belongs to Lent Township. “We don’t have a say in it, I’m not sure we should spend time on it,” Utecht said.

Daher recommended anyone on the council who wanted to write a letter in support of or in opposition to could do so on their own.

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