HERE"S THE SCOOP!

Concerned citizens speak at the Town Board meeting.

                                      
     At the January14 Town Board meeting 2 very concerned, informed 

and conscientious citizens spoke during the Public Input portion

of the meeting offering their opinion and facts addressing the "work

group's" activities regarding the prospect of Commercial/Industrial

zoning in Eureka Township. 

     The following are comments from the first citizen who addressed

the "work group" activities. I will report the comments from the

2nd citizen in a blog to follow. I believe this is information the
Board and citizens in Eureka should take very seriously.

                                       *****************

     Statements made at the January 3, 2018,  C/I "work group" 

Open House should be troubling to residents. Butch Hansen 

made the statement "The work group does not need to post their 

meeting dates and times at all."


This is concerning when the results of this group may result
in expenditure of additional public money and tax dollars to
Eureka Citizens.

     The "work group" met with a TKDA planner a few weeks ago

and instructed her to obtain answers to the following questions:

     1. How to change the 2040 Comp Plan.

     2. How to make a formal request to the MET Council to connect

         to the interceptor line and who will pay for it.

     3. How to implement roads and curbs and who will pay for it.

     The above questions directly contradict what was asserted

multiple times at the Open House. Why were the residents who

attended the Open House told the "work group" had the answers.

Members of the "work group" stated they had the information,

which they did not, and the Township would be paying for it. 

(Butch Hansen also stated at the Open House "He 

could guarantee that he can get a letter from the

MET Council stating the Township can connect to

the interceptor). 
                                   
     The Township should not pay for the Planner inquiry; this is 

the responsibility of the developer.

     I met with Wendy Wulff, a MET Council

Board member, who stated the subject change to the 2040 Comp 

Plan would not be allowed. The MUSA line is not going to change

because there is no need to do so in the region. Any need for

change can be accomplished with open land in Lakeville.

     To change zoning from Agricultural to Commercial/Industrial

in Eureka Township would require an amendment to the 2040

Comp Plan submitted to and approved by the MET Council.

This is not going to happen.

     It was stated multiple times at the Open House that the C/I

zoning change was not something that was necessarily going to

happen, but was simply being explored to determine if the 

Township wanted to go in the direction. At the December

Town Board meeting, a member of the "work group" stated 

they were going to hold a meeting every week, faster than they

have in the past. 

     I was "quite surprised" when a member of

the "work group" stated to the Planner that they were moving

forward at an "aggressive rate." The Planner stated she was

NOT optimistic the MET Council would allow for sewer hookup.

     The Planner mentioned other options she would look at such as
independently owned and operated companies that would 

operate a sewer and water system. Without hesitation, a

"work group" member stated this was a better deal because it

would limit Commercial Development.

     However, this would result in tax payer dollars spent that is

apparently not needed and the 2040 Comp Plan amendment would

not be approved by the MET Council.

    The possibility of a privately run sewer and water system was

not discussed at the Open House because it was asserted

multiple times that permission would be given by the MET Council

when in fact this is not the case.

     I spoke with David Olson, the Commercial

and Economic Development Director for the City of Lakeville.

Mr. Olson stated 1) Lakeville has been approached by a few property

owners on the Eureka Township northern board to be annexed.

They were told "no." 2) The landowners who own the Menasha

building also own the large adjacent property that is in the City

Limits. This is why the City agreed to the annexation which

made sense for Lakeville. 3) Lakeville has plenty land to

develop and do not have a need, desire or infrastructure

to annex Eureka Township in the near future.

     I heard there is discussion regarding the possibility of
obtaining a grant for dollars to build a water tower. What
was not addressed is the operative cost to maintain a
water tower which the tax payers in Eureka Township would
get stuck with.

     Also, the DNR would have to approve permits by any private 

organization. This is not likely due to water issues Lakeville

ran into.

     I strongly recommend the Board deny approval of any
expenditures for a Planner or attorney. To further

this inquiry to do so would be a complete waste of tax

payer dollars.

     When there is opposition from many citizens and a

 potentially great cost to the tax payers in Eureka Township,

 the members of the Board should make decisions that are

 transparent and beneficial to the majority of the citizens rather

 than a few.
                                 ********************

(As a citizen in Eureka, I appreciate the efforts and time this citizen

engaged in. I know she attended many meetings in order to obtain

facts to present to the Board and the public which will allow them to

make an informed decision regarding the "work group's"

desire to aggressively pursue Commercial/Industrial zoning

in Eureka Township.)

The above information was obtained from the January 14, 2019,

meeting CD.

     

   .