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Thursday, September 02, 2010
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| 11/25/2009 1:52:00 PM | Email this article • Print this article | Lindstrom City Council gives full support to continuing review for Sunrise River Electric Station; special meeting Nov. 30 about Glader-Lakelawn project agreement
BY DENISE MARTIN
Lindstrom City Council voted last week unanimously endorsing the effort to design and permit an electric station being proposed north of Lindstrom, in Lent Township.
Supporting resolutions out of Wyoming and Chisago City Councils have also been approved; all declaring the project warrants continued review.
The motion was by Lindstrom Council member Curt Flug. He said there are many questions about "technical" issues but the LS Power company should be allowed to proceed to develop the project.
Flug explained that there's "checkpoints" through regulatory agencies and various environmental controls within the permit process that he has confidence in.
He added that this area must expand its taxbase and start bringing in some non-residential property tax revenues to help pay for deferred projects, and the power plant's payments in lieu of personal property tax, the plant's regular property taxes and host agreement revenues will encourage a progressive tax revenue stream.
This resolution of support, like the Wyoming and Chisago City votes, are politically symbolic. None of the cities has any direct authority over the project continuing towards the permit stage.
Glader-Lakelawn sewer debate
Lindstrom elected officials and Chisago Lake Township supervisors have met several times trying to work out an acceptable plan to extend city sewer lines into township territory while still addressing township concerns about annexation and costs. At the heart of the debate is avoiding contested annexation.
At Lindstrom's regular meeting last week discussion narrowed some of the issues; but another special meeting was set for 7 p.m. Monday, Nov. 30, so council and town board members can finalize the project.
Jim Froberg, representing Chisago Lake Township, told the council the township residents certainly desire to improve lake water quality by installing municipal sewer to needy properties, but many township property owners don't immediately need municipal services. Froberg had examined a newly calculated assessment roll aimed at fairly distributing the cost of bringing sewer lines into the Glader Blvd. and Lake Lawn neighborhoods. He said the increase proposed as assessment for properties not hooking up immediately was unacceptable.
The new amount was determined based on a plan giving parcel owners who are against annexation seven years to come into the city (or annexation upon sale of their property or if their sewer system fails.)
The city of Lindstrom is picking up a portion of this construction budget--but if township people are choosing to not hook-up-- the city contribution percentage should be deleted from their individual assessment. City council stated it doesn't want city taxpayers subsidizing project costs for someone who is not annexing into Lindstrom.
Terms of the agreement include the township allowing the infrastructure improvements to use township rights-of-way.
Discussion will continue Nov. 30. at Lindstrom City Hall.
CNR Contractors, Ripley, MN won the project award, and the company has agreed to hold its bid until January 2010.
City council members supported a proposal from Sherry Stirling of the Chisago County Historical Society and Ian Dudley, a professional artist and a Lindstrom Parks Board member. Rachel Coyne, who serves on the Lindstrom Highway Beautification Planning Committee also spoke in favor.
The hope is --with city backing-- to land a Federal Highway Transportation Enhancement grant to help fund two sets of sculptures, one at the west end of the new Hwy. 8 rebuild and one at the east end. Dudley and Stirling said the early designs are exploring bronze sculptures honoring women and men who founded Lindstrom. Green space in "triangles" at either end of the downtown highway portion would be included. Stirling said Hwy. 8 is a scenic byway designated as the approximate route many immigrants followed upon coming to this area and there's signage identifying it as "Moberg Trail" but not much is available to interpret this rich history.
Lindstrom would be expected to participate by supplying "in-kind" materials and labor towards the grant.
The new Lindstrom Fire Department airboat was on display in the city hall parking lot for people coming to the council meeting to view. Fire Chief Scott Sellman said the firefighters will have the boat painted and detailed and it'll be available for public view soon. Training on using the rig was set to begin last weekend. The boat is paid for through fire department fundraisers, pulltab revenues and non-tax sources.
Lindstrom certified $90,000 in unpaid sewer and water bills to the next year's tax rolls.
Lametti and Sons, Hugo got the nod to do sewer line repair work without having to excavate the pipes. The bid accepted was $58,536.
Public Works Director Mark Dzubay said three sewer main locations 50 to 60 years old are getting repaired; on Maple Street, on the easement between 3rd and 4th Avenues and Linden St. south of Newell.
A fiberglass impregnated liner is pushed/pulled into the pipe, inflated with very hot water, then allowed to harden. Fiberglass remnants will be cleaned up with a "crawler" that smooths the interior.
December 8 is the Lindstrom public hearing to explain taxes and levy for 2010. The final levy will be adopted.
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