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By MaryHelen Swanson
The issue of a power plant in Lent Township continued at the county board meeting last week and a citizen task force was created as an advisory group to the commissioners.
As she promised, Commissioner Lora Walker recommended formation of a citizen’s task force to review the plans for the proposed power plant project.
Considerable time was spent clarifying the purpose of the task force, and the make-up of the group.
Only 5th Dist. Commissioner Mike Robinson felt the task force was not needed.
He repeatedly said that the citizen group wasn’t necessary, it was up to the commissioners to make a decision about the power plant.
But support was there from Commissioner George McMahon, and Walker herself said she didn’t see any disadvantage to having such an advisory board.
Commissioner Ben Montzka had some issues, particularly with the first suggestion for make-up of the group, which had two members from Lent Township. He said it was unprecedented to have one group have two votes. He noted that he was also uncomfortable with the appointment of people from advocacy groups.
In the end, the county board approved formation of the task force 4-1, Robinson opposed.
The Power Plant Task Force is to be made up of nine members: one from each commissioner district, one member from the Chisago Lakes Joint Sewer Commission (because of the potential for use of wastewater by the power plant) and three at large members.
The task force will be recommending action to the county board regarding its (county board) recommendation to proceed with or to not proceed with approval of a personal property tax exemption.
That approval is essentially the only action the county board can take with regards to the actual siting and construction of the plant. Approval of permits to locate the plant in Lent Township are the responsibility of the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission.
The citizen task force is to have its recommendation to the county board by Jan. 31.
Members of the task force will be reimbursed for mileage only, not per diems, to attend the task force meetings.
The commissioners approved advertising for positions on the task force.
Interested citizens can submit an application to the Chisago County Clerk of Board, 313 North Main Street, Room 175, Center City, MN 55012. The form is available by contacting county administration at (651) 213-8830.
Applications are to be received by Thursday, Dec. 10. Applications may also be faxed to (651) 213-8876.
To obtain an application online, go to Chisago County Web site, www.co.chisago.mn.us, click on Citizen Participation, then click on Current Vacancies, that will get you to the citizen task force application.
Earlier in the meeting, the citizen forum opened with Lent Township Supervisor Lyle Johnson reading a statement he titled, “The Facts.”
“I have always stated that I would base any decisions I make while a Lent Township supervisor on the relevant facts,” he said.
Going on, he said early on in the discussion of the potential power plant he heard “on the street” a comment that there will be a power plant there someday.
He said he was “tasked” with tracking down and verifying if that statement was correct or just a rumor.
Johnson went on saying he spoke with someone at the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission about the accuracy of the statement.
Johnson said he was told “yes. we have been expecting a plant to be built in that location for almost 20 years.”
The person from the PUC, Johnson said, had told him that with the Xcel substation and existing high voltage transmission lines, the area is probably the most prime location in the state to build an intermediate size or peaking power generating plant.
Johnson said he asked about the process the PUC uses to determine when and where plants are permitted to be built.
Johnson said the person told him the PUC has a checklist and if the area and plant being proposed fall within their guidelines, they grant permission to build.
Johnson added that the person had said, while they hold public hearings, “we do not care if you have 10,000 signatures on a petition against the plant, if our guidelines are followed, the plant is allowed to be built.”
Johnson was the first in line of many speakers that night. He was followed by Dan Lundeen, Blake Wheatley, Craig Anderson, Willard Carlson, Theresa Casey-Wolf, Klaus Mittershaun, Jeff Strothers, Martha Arnold, Vicki Logan, Joyce Marienfeld, Rob Kravitz, John Nieber, John Wilking, Pete Johnson and Tom Vail.
All but Vail and Wheatley spoke either against the power plant or its siting at the proposed Lent Township location.
In other business, the county board:
• Held a hearing on the revocation of a conditional use permit (CUP) for Kevin Dincau. The hearing was called because of continuing complaints of violations of the CUP conditions, to operate a hot tub repair business at his home, regarding outside storage on the property. This is not allowed under the CUP. The board agreed 4-1 not to revoke at this time, but to have Dincau work with zoning staff so that he could better understand the conditions of the permit. Commissioner Green felt the original conditions were vague. Dincau received the CUP on Aug. 16, 2006 with 13 conditions.
• The commissioners also heard a lengthy presentation on the radio upgrade project, with Sheriff Todd Rivard bringing in a host of consultants to continue explaining the options and costs to the county board.
The county is mandated to upgrade its two-way radio system to a narrow band mode by 2013. The mandate was first issued in 1994. County radio equipment needs to be replaced to allow for this upgrade. Acceptable solutions may cost the county anywhere from $6 million to $10.5 million with additional operating costs on top of those costs. The county can take advantage of a $1.2 million grant from the Metropolitan Emergency Services Board, but must apply by Dec. 15.
The commissioners will vote on a resolution regarding the upgrade today, Nov. 25 at their regular meeting.
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