[Winona Online Democracy] I want to start by building off of the excellent last point in Jan Turek's e-mail.
She said: ----- >The City has an opportunity to plan constructively and proactively. They >have an opportunity to work coopertiviely with other government bodies for >good of the entire of community of Winona. What an opportunity!!! ----- The issue of the proposed development in Wilson Township is an opportunity for the City Manager, Mayor, and Council to: 1. Slide back into old arguements and anger or... 2. Work together with others in new, respectful, and creative ways. Both Wilson Township and the County are willing to work with the City. Each has their own strengths and weaknesses. Combined, creative and good things can happen. If one of the three is combative, angry, arrogant, petty, or disdainful of public discussions, then a great opporutunity is lost. ----- I also wanted to clarify some points that have been mentioned but are not accurate. For instance: 1. The City Can Do Whatever It Wants: The City cannot simply annex the Phillips/Heise property at the stroke of a pen. Our current City government probably would have done this months ago if they had the legal standing to do so. They can only do such a thing if it is a parcel 60 acres or less that is "contiguous" to the legal boundary of the City. In the Wilson case, the Town Board is actually considering allowing an annexation 1 1/2 miles past the City's legal limit. 2. "2 Mile Rule": Another point of misinformation is commonly referred to as the "2 Mile Rule." In certain cases, when a township does NOT exercise it's own Planning and Zoning Ordinances, a city may exercise some limited influence. However, the city has less powers if the township has Urban Town Powers. If the township has a Subdivision Ordinance as part of it's Zoning Ordinance, the city has absolutely no authority in that township unless the township grants it to them, other than the ability to take 60 acre parcels contiguous to the city limit. In Wilson's case they already have the first two out of three and are currently working on the construction of a Subdivision Ordinance with the help of Rochester Township in Olmsted County. 3. Already a Done Deal: It's not a done deal or inevitable. If a township refuses to agree to an orderly annexation for an area that is not contiguous to a city, that city may file a contested case annexation with the State. If that happens, the city will be forced to provide data to the court that two Supervisors from Wilson Township have already requested. The court will then consider NEED, and not simply a property owner's request. Important background data will impact the courts decision. If the City would provide accurate and timely data to Wilson Township, perhaps the Township may draw the same conclusion that the City has. Without that information, the Wilson Towship Supervisors, County, media, and the public are "flying blind." The City refuses to provide the Wilson Town Board with the data needed to make an informed and intelligent decision. It is a decision that has implications that exceed the boundaries of Wilson Township and will potentially impact the greater community. Currently, the City wants to rush through the process and then discuss it afterwards. Act first then talk. We all should take it slow until we get more facts. It's better to talk and think before you act. Dwayne Voegeli July 21, 2004 ------------ Dwayne Voegeli Winona County Commissioner (507) 453-9012 [EMAIL PROTECTED] 359 Pleasant Hill Dr. Winona, MN 55987 ------------ _______________________________________________ This message was posted to Winona Online Democracy All messages must be signed by the senders actual name. No commercial solicitations are allowed on this list. To manage your subscription or view the message archives, please visit http://mapnp.mnforum.org/mailman/listinfo/winona Any problems or suggestions can be directed to mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] If you want help on how to contact elected officials, go to the Contact page at http://www.winonaonlinedemocracy.org
