|
d it / '}
<br /> ii,
<br /> Opii
<br /> Page 2—Monticello (Minn.)Times,Thursday, Feb. 12, 2004
<br /> �„_v4
<br /> _:” .�,�. , "v r...,,,f+ try 'a%t ? ,,,,r, y � +u E � `�•,•t r
<br /> z r �'� -4 r , .rig x` r a ,,„.t'
<br /> "i , ,, d,t k .+
<br /> " le x _ : Kr +� tx c, 1,,
<br /> t
<br /> r
<br /> s r i 4 s r' t '4,,''''.. 1,p,/ ,60' of'7# A.
<br /> ',
<br /> citynCll t{ '14',',.y.,4,,,,,,,
<br /> council
<br /> 1; a,
<br /> series of updates r ,
<br /> k
<br /> ,..,,,,,„.,
<br /> in • • ofnot spirit
<br /> • J r
<br /> open meeting law x +fi,
<br /> • On Jan: 12, members of the Monticello
<br /> d � ,, r� r,,,-'�+fix "7'a,,..? ',,,t r k r 4,,
<br /> ry h 3^ C'� ,� ,�' Px=T 7Ti �n"Fq k)
<br /> City Council agreed, at the end of a long � , f^ t ,, ,,, ,� ,, � t}k ,_, i ,x ,
<br /> Se. � s� 7 �k P�1`�'� rr '4f•� Fl }i�i4�
<br /> f,(..e_
<br /> meeting, to hold a series of updates on a pos- F C-i i '�, ;A' cY�-rJO 5 sible land purchase. First, two of the five fl V * +VR x land t
<br /> meet with a ,, '.,.,-,,-C , '.,r--,,- �r
<br /> council members would z w ��,��,��$� $ n {���,�r �
<br /> negotiation committee, and then two more , = d�Qr e',,� Cr . , 4.1-'4',/.',4?„
<br /> fli`x-� U1 ',F Y a
<br /> would meet with the same group in the same ���,� �!:::,.'i.';, -,',':',7',';''''''''''''','-'4'„ �
<br /> room to hold the same discussion a few min- ,�� r
<br /> utes later. (The mayor did not plan to attend a
<br /> -�6.:6_,\....._. �± a n
<br /> .d.r
<br /> CZNifeither session.) �v � �� '� �
<br /> The topic was a proposed purchase of 120 ” * c.
<br /> acres of land from John Chadwick. The city �� � x x;4 1
<br /> is considering turning the land into a new y �
<br /> city-owned industrial park and has already ,,,;:„...,,,,:,,,i,:-_-,„—
<br /> set aside $900,000 to invest in the project. !, „',, " .
<br /> Clearly, this is an endeavor of. significan44,t
<br /> public interest.
<br /> However, the
<br /> series of updates, , -.£. ,_ � � �:.
<br /> two council mem-
<br /> ICA project involy- fr
<br /> in millionofdollarsIF ��
<br /> appear to have and a new direction
<br /> ' been scheduled
<br /> to avoid the for the city council A red-breasted fish catcher
<br /> W Minnesota Open needs to take shape
<br /> p p
<br /> Meeting Law. with unfettered public As the mist rose from the river aDaviids of Big Lake captured Vladimi
<br /> Though gats- scrutiny. ing lines at Montissippi Park. His re
<br /> • erings of less y and the river.Vladimir,who lives in
<br /> than a quorum of the St.Croix in the summer and the
<br /> a public body are He said he grew up on a river in Rus.
<br /> not subject to open meeting requirements, which he considers rather boring.
<br /> the law states that"serial meetings" meant '
<br /> to avoid open meeting rules are illegal. ��� cMonticello public bodies,incudigeecd ofone s
<br /> 1
<br /> council, have a long and excellent
<br /> respectingThisappearsthe ttoQbeopen meeting an aberration on the"w. I am not unlike most red-blood-
<br /> ed American men.As I lay in bed
<br /> part of council members. the other night next to my wife,
<br /> And, it should be noted, when the Times Paulette,I
<br /> I d outdn'e thought
<br /> housleg My
<br /> pointed out the impropriety, a public'notice my
<br /> was quickly issued and the Times was heart was pounding senses
<br /> , my
<br /> ablaze. Finally, I could take it no
<br /> allowed in to report on both meetings. longer.
<br /> To be sure, negotiations over land prices Reaching over, I pulled back
<br /> and assessment rates are sensitive issues the covers. I figured I could do
<br /> that do not necessarily benefit from too what I needed to do without undu-
<br /> i many players at the table. However, the fair ly disturbingelf, eprobablywok,t saidd
<br /> handling of such matters is of critical con- towake u
<br /> cern to all who own property and pay taxes I then leaped out of bed and
<br /> in Monticello. A project involving millions of bounded down the stairs. There,
<br /> dollars and a new direction for the citycoun- my brand new, still wrapped in
<br />
|