Earlier in January, the Wright County Board of Commissioners had questions concerning a proposed zoning ordinance that seemed specific to the Jane Goodall Environmental Sciences Academy, which is seeking charter school status.
Because Commissioner Charlie Borrell, who serves on the planning commission that unanimously approved the request, was absent from the meeting following surgery, the matter was tabled to the Tuesday, Jan. 23, board meeting for a final decision.
Commissioner Darek Vetsch stated that his reservations of tailoring an ordinance for a single property could set a bad precedent, but added that provisions already in the law would require the school to go through the conditional use permit process as well as charter school regulation.
The ordinance would also include a provision that the amended ordinance would be revisited by June 30, 2020, to make the ordinance permanent or subject to repeal and expiration.
Borrell said the process was lengthy to get it in its final form.
"When this ordinance first came to planning and zoning, it was very broad. It was like two lines long," Borrell said.
"At the planning commission, we listened to school districts, superintendents, people that are going to the school and a lot of members of the general public. They felt it might be opening too much stuff, so staff got directed to shrink it down. It did get tailored, not to this particular school, but very, very few."
Vetsch clarified his position as to the primary reasons for his concerns, saying this it is a complete reversal of policies that have been in place for many years.
"For the record, my biggest concern was the infrastructure that townships have – law enforcement, timeliness to response times, fire response times, medical response times, traffic needs and road infrastructures. Those are the biggest concerns that I have in changing our previous practice to today’s practice," Vetsch said.
"Decades ago, we switched from having country schools and bringing them into urban settings for infrastructure needs. Now we’re looking at making that change and I don’t want to make that change hastily. I want to take our time and make sure we are comfortable making a permanent change for the future."
Commissioner Mike Potter, who had made a motion to approve the planning commission initially that died for the lack of a second, said he maintains his belief that the planning commission’s job is to vet requests and make recommendations, and he was satisfied that work had been accomplished.
"I had comments and people question me from last time when this was tabled. I tend to follow the planning commission because they did do everything by the law," Potter said. "People might like it. They might not like it. But if you don’t trust your planning commission, you get rid of them.
"The planning commission, I think, went through all the exercises. They had legal counsel there and I asked that question point blank of (Assistant County Attorney) Greg (Kryzer): Did they follow all of the procedures and if everyone that was at the public hearing got to speak? The answer was ‘yes.’ To make it clear 0for those who are still taking pot shots at me or whatever their criticism is, the thing is the planning commission did do their job and the results came out the way they are."
Borrell thanked Potter for his support of the planning commission recommendation and made a motion to adopt the resolution with the provision that it will be revisited June 30, 2020, before being made permanent.
Other matters
In other items on the Jan. 23 agenda, the board:
■ Was presented with the December revenue/expenditure guidelines. Auditor/Treasurer Bob Hiivala said that he will meet to discuss individual items with the board, but pointed out that despite a $1.9 million transfer, the county had revenues of $1.2 million above expenditures, with almost $1 million of that surplus coming in revenues above projection for the boarding of prisoners.
■ Approved the pay equity implementation report for 2017. Commissioner Christine Husom commended where the county stands in terms of the report and encouraged those interested to take a look at the report on the county’s website listed on the Jan. 23 agenda.
■ Authorized board attendance at the Wright Soil and Water Conservation District annual planning meeting at 8:30 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 1 at the Law Enforcement Center.
■ Approved releasing the North Fork Crow River One Watershed/ One Plan report for the required 60-day comment period.
Three public meetings are going to take place during that point and, at the end of the comment period, a public hearing will be held to create a final document that will be brought to the board for final approval. The county has placed a link to the plan on the front page of the county’s official website.
■ Set a public hearing for the local comprehensive watershed management plan for 9:30 a.m. at the Tuesday, Feb. 20, board meeting.
■ Approved an extension of the contract between the sheriff’s department and Crossroads Animal Shelter for dealing with dangerous dogs in the county. Crossroads has been working for the county for several years and the 2018 contract will be at the same rate.
■ Authorized the parks and recreation department to obtain an appraisal for a 20-acre parcel of land next to Stanley Eddy Park for a potential purchase.
■ Approved the allotment of $77,000 to the Wright County Fair Board for the construction of a sidewalk/trail project in downtown Howard Lake along County Road 6 to the county fairgrounds to provide safe pedestrian traffic.
■ Referred to the personnel committee discussion of proposal for teleworks (work from home) procedures and guidelines.
■ Accepted a donation of wildlife mounts to be used as part of the educational displays at Robert Ney Regional Park and Environmental Education Center.
■ Set a pair of bid openings for the parks and recreation department – one for 1 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 30, for consulting services for Bertram Chain of Lakes Park and one for 2 p.m. Monday, Feb. 6, for improvements at Collinwood Regional Park.
■ Approved payment of $1,466 to the firm of Madden, Galenter & Hansen for union negotiation work done on behalf of the county in December.
■ Referred to the ways and means committee an amended joint powers agreement with the Wright SWCD for the Wetland Conservation Act.
■ Appointed Jim Lindberg of Monticello as an at-large representative to the Bertram Chain of Lakes Advisory Council.
■ Approved an agreement for the replacement of the Franklin Township Bridge using the Township Bridge Program as the funding source.