A POLL ON THE POLES

At the November Board meeting, Supervisor Budenski moved that the Township seek an injunction against Great River Energy (GRE) to stop work regarding the installation of powerline poles in Eureka Township.  His thought was that, just as the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) granted a local deviation in the route near Dodd and 245th, perhaps they would grant a formal Township request for a change in the pole material.  That is, to switch from the rusty brown they want to install (think Pillsbury Avenue) to the silvery galvanized poles found elsewhere that would blend in better with the Minnesota sky and might be a little more palatable to Eureka citizens. (Since we're stuck with them no matter what.) Budenski volunteered his time to go through the request process.

OR 

Remember, these power poles are 15 or 16 stories tall.  You might notice them! As you may imagine, this matter of the power line and the poles has been discussed a number of times at the Board level.  Citizen Ray Kaufenberg, who will have the poles right in his own neighborhood, has been active on the topic for some time. He has previously suggested to the Board that a change in the pole material is a reasonable request for the Township to make. 

The Board has requested that a representative from GRE be present each month to give the Board (and presumably the citizens?) an update on the work being done. 

At the October meeting, Ray was denied his request to ask a question during the part of the meeting that the GRE rep was before the Board. Chair Storlie informed Ray that it wasn't the public comment time, and he was not allowed to speak..  

Supervisor Budenski asked why Ray could not speak.  Storlie replied that he, Storlie, is the Chair, it is his job to keep the meeting moving and the public comment period was over: Mr. Kaufenberg would have to be quiet.  While it IS TRUE that Pete is the Chair, he needs to keep the meeting moving, and the public comment period was over, the Citizen Input Policy states under "During the Meeting" that the BOARD can allow citizen input during a meeting if it, the Board, at its sole discretion, decides it is necessary.  

It is also true that the Chair does not have any special powers beyond those of the other supervisors.  His vote doesn't count more than the others'. His sole additional obligation here is to run the meeting.  That's it. 

THEREFORE, it is my belief that Chair Storlie should have properly asked the Board whether it would like to hear Mr. Kaufenberg and not unilaterally made that decision himself, especially when his decision was challenged by another Supervisor.  (Maybe the others don't agree with you?) It is at the Board's sole discretion, not the Chair's sole discretion re the Policy, after all! 

Apparently, the other three Supervisors (Miller, Ceminsky, and Madden) are fine, however, indicated by their TOTAL silence on the matter, with Chair Storlie's dictatorial (my opinion) decision on whether one of their constituents would be given the courtesy of a comment or question about this topic which affects us all.

I view this in much the same manner as the Road Contractor part of the meeting or the Sheriff's part of the meeting.  If they are there to report on roads (which affect us all) or on public safety (which affects us all) and citizens are allowed or even encouraged to ask questions, why can't a citizen be allowed to ask a question on the power lines (which affects us all)?  I don't get it.

At any rate, Supervisor Budenski tried to pick up the banner at the November meeting as described above. What happened next, you ask?

WELL, Supervisor Miller had to recuse himself because of a potential financial conflict of interest. You may remember that he is being paid by GRE for use of his property as a laydown yard.  Any possible delay in the project could result in more money for him, so he shouldn't vote on this matter which affects his constituents.

 

Chair Pete Storlie, refreshingly in my opinion, voted with Brian to seek the injunction and the possible change in the poles.

Supervisors Ceminsky and Madden, however,.voted against Budenski's motion.  Don't ask me to explain why, because I don't get that either.  What, really, is there to lose?  Well, some money in taking the action. A few hundred, perhaps? How long will the effect of their votes, which caused the motion to fail, be with us?  How long does a power pole last?  How long will the power line be in place?  Personally, I don't think this was a good economy. Do you ?

VS.