Minutes of Posted Emergency Meeting June 17, 2008
Re: A Conference Call on June 25th, 2:00 p.m.
Chair Loewen called the meeting to order at 8:00 p.m. with a pledge to the flag. Council present was: Supervisors Dennis Loewen, John Wicker, Jim Unterberger and Clerk Terre Harff. Others present were: Brent Nehring, Gene Merten and Roland Donnay.
Chair Loewen explained the reason for calling for an emergency meeting is to come up with a decision on who will be at the conference call called for by Judge Krause on June 25th.
The biggest concern was to protect the township and doing that with as little cost to the township as possible. There was a concern that our lawyer did not have the April 16th City of Rockville meeting minutes. Merten was questioned if their lawyer had all the information from the city that is needed. Merten said he didn’t know but assumed that council member, Jim Pflepsen, would have provided their lawyer with all the appropriate information. It was suggested that the township provide our lawyer with the April 16th City of Rockville meeting minutes, which would have been the 3rd and last meeting required by the Office of Administrative Hearing. Clerk Harff had a copy of the April 15th reconvened annual meeting minutes. Loewen suggested these also be sent to Tiede, lawyer for the township.
Loewen suggested sending a letter to the judge to state our willingness to compromise with the city and the residents, but the City of Rockville did not want to make any decision at that time. Since that was the last required meeting, the township felt they did what they could to work with the City and residents, but feels it needs to be the detachment residents fight.
Brent Nehring asked if the judge makes a decision that will be unfair for the township, can the township state they don’t want the detachment residents in our township. Loewen felt it was clear that it is up to the judge to make the decision and it could go either way. But if the judge does decide to allow the detachment, it will all be directed on how the detachment will take place. The township will need to follow what decision that might be; there will be no additional say from the township. Brent also wanted to know what kind of loss it would be for the City of Rockville. The figures show it would be about 6% loss of revenue but they would also lose about 6% of the maintenance cost with fire and road information, so it would be a wash. Nehring felt that the detachment residents should be paying for the whole bill and the township has put enough township funds into the legal proceedings.
Boundaries were discussed. It was decided that we might not have a say as to where the boundaries are set. Wicker would like to see the shoreland district into the City of Rockville and that area would also include the one resident that did not sign the petition. But understands the judge will make that decision.
MP08-25
Wicker made a motion to contact Attorney Tiede and tell him that the
township wants to take limited action in the form of writing a letter until
we reach a negotiating point. Unterberger seconded. Motion carried.
Loewen will contact Lawyer Tiede and let him know of the townships position, requesting the clerk fax the information to Tiede so he has it before the conference call. Questions for Tiede are: What is being determined at this conference call, will there be only one hearing, does the township have the right to deny the detachment residents if is not favorable for the township, will the township have any say at the hearing and who sets the boundaries.
Wicker/Unterberger made a motion to adjourn, motion carried. The meeting
adjourned at 9:00 p.m.
Terre Harff
Clerk