[Winona Online Democracy]
Let us revisit the question, Why do we need cities? White Bear Township functions very well in the metro surrounded by cities. Minnesota Statutes provide townships almost all the powers that cities to provide full services including sewer and water if their citizens want it, build it and pay for it. There are few services that a city form of government can provide that a township can not. Since all powers including Port Authorities are a result of legislative action even those powers "could" be permitted by townships.
Why did Grant Township in the metro become a city? To prevent annexation by the surrounding cities so that they could control their own Zoning and Planning regulations and stop developers from circumventing their rules, to get smaller lot sizes. It served as a temporary preservation to local control however the recent Supreme Court ruling in Lake Elmo in favor of the Met Council will kill their efforts. Townships are established by the County Boards in Minnesota and "their geographic boundaries or existence is under the distinct control of the county board." "If the county board wanted to combine the 19 townships to create three new townships whose area of each was identical to the three school districts. (Lewiston, Saint Charles and Winona) They have the statue authority to do it!" They can not arrange or adjust the boundaries between a city and a township however as the state kept that responsibility to themselves. Many townships in Minnesota are significantly bigger than many cities. Townships in Michigan and Pennsylvania have sewage treatment plants, water treatment facilities, fire departments, libraries, EMT's, Economic Development Authorities, and Police Departments and have annual budgets in excess of $30 million dollars. Many townships believe in contractual government services as a more cost effective way to provide taxpayer services. Fire Departments, Sewage Treatment in some townships are contracted with Rural Electric Cooperatives who are interested in economic growth as well. One of the best pieces of snow removal equipment is a contracted cement truck. It has the weight, the ability to mix sand and chemicals based on the storm conditions and the contractors love to get their drivers off the unemployment rolls. In Wisconsin the state contracts with the counties for their snow removal. In my opinion if counties had the consolidated ownership of sewer and water treatment facilities the turf wars would cease because the real issue usually come back to one common fact; that being that developers want smaller lots which enable them to make more money and which always necessities community sewage treatment plants. Counties could protect the zoning, control the growth pattern but to do so they need to take the lead, use their statute authority to partner with townships and cities to buy or build treatment facilities in those areas that growth will occur and at costs that enable the growth, promote good environmental practices and provide enforcement of Zoning and Planning that has teeth. Could the Townships of St. Charles, Lewiston and Winona mirror the school districts geographic boundaries and provide a savings and run smother and at a lower cost than what is in place now? Paul Double
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