Memorial Day

I wanted to share a few thoughts about Memorial Day. I however can not do justice to such a momentous occasion. I have included two well known speeches and one poem that has always touched my heart.


The Gettysburg Address
Gettysburg,Pennsylvania
November 19, 1863

Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.

Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battle-field of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.

But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate -- we can not consecrate -- we can not hallow -- this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us -- that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion -- that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain -- that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom -- and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.


Ronald Reagan -- Pointe de Hoc, Normandy, June 6, 1984
(The 40th anniversary of D-Day)

We're here to mark that day in history when the Allied peoples joined in battle to reclaim this continent to liberty. For four long years, much of Europe had been under a terrible shadow. Free nations had fallen, Jews cried out in the camps, millions cried out for liberation. Europe was enslaved, and the world prayed for its rescue. Here in Normandy the rescue began. Here the Allies stood and fought against tyranny in a giant undertaking unparalleled in human history.

We stand on a lonely, windswept point on the northern shore of France. The air is soft, but forty years ago at this moment, the air was dense with smoke and the cries of men, and the air was filled with the crack of rifle fire and the roar of cannon. At dawn, on the morning of the 6th of June 1944, 225 Rangers jumped off the British landing craft and ran to the bottom of these cliffs. Their mission was one of the most difficult and daring of the invasion: to climb these sheer and desolate cliffs and take out the enemy guns. The Allies had been told that some of the mightiest of these guns were here and they would be trained on the beaches to stop the Allied advance.

The Rangers looked up and saw the enemy soldiers -- at the edge of the cliffs shooting down at them with machine-guns and throwing grenades. And the American Rangers began to climb. They shot rope ladders over the face of these cliffs and began to pull themselves up. When one Ranger fell, another would take his place. When one rope was cut, a Ranger would grab another and begin his climb again. They climbed, shot back, and held their footing. Soon, one by one, the Rangers pulled themselves over the top, and in seizing the firm land at the top of these cliffs, they began to seize back the continent of Europe. Two hundred and twenty-five came here. After two days of fighting only ninety could still bear arms.

Behind me is a memorial that symbolizes the Ranger daggers that were thrust into the top of these cliffs. And before me are the men who put them there.

These are the boys of Pointe du Hoc. These are the men who took the cliffs. These are the champions who helped free a continent. These are the heroes who helped end a war.
Gentlemen, I look at you and I think of the words of Stephen Spender's poem. You are men who in your 'lives fought for life...and left the vivid air signed with your honor'...

Forty summers have passed since the battle that you fought here. You were young the day you took these cliffs; some of you were hardly more than boys, with the deepest joys of life before you. Yet you risked everything here. Why? Why did you do it? What impelled you to put aside the instinct for self-preservation and risk your lives to take these cliffs? What inspired all the men of the armies that met here? We look at you, and somehow we know the answer. It was faith, and belief; it was loyalty and love.

The men of Normandy had faith that what they were doing was right, faith that they fought for all humanity, faith that a just God would grant them mercy on this beachhead or on the next. It was the deep knowledge -- and pray God we have not lost it -- that there is a profound moral difference between the use of force for liberation and the use of force for conquest. You were here to liberate, not to conquer, and so you and those others did not doubt your cause. And you were right not to doubt.

You all knew that some things are worth dying for. One's country is worth dying for, and democracy is worth dying for, because it's the most deeply honorable form of government ever devised by man. All of you loved liberty. All of you were willing to fight tyranny, and you knew the people of your countries were behind you.



MY LITTLE MAN

Sitting in a foxhole
On a deep dark night
Looking for the enemy
Hearing noises of the night
I don't think of you
My little man

Creeping through the jungle
On a bright moonlit night
Looking for the enemy
Hoping for a fight
I don't think of you
My little man

Now the tour is over
Memories seem like dreams
Reflections of those nights
When I didn't get any sleep
I only think of you
My little man

Now, daddy looks at you in your sleep
And tries to dream a dream
Of a world where you will never lose any sleep.

Written from the heart by William Nick Sr.

Council Contact

I have been able to deliver some good news on several issues residents have brought to my attention. I am saying this only to point out that sometimes going to a Council Member or the Mayor may be needed.

If you do not like me or want me to help you please contact another Council Member or the Mayor. Their contact information can be provided by calling City Hall, 444-5512.

We are here to serve the Citizens and Tax Payers of Isanti.

Poll numbers

Results of the "Do you think George Wimmer will be a good Mayor?"

The final poll numbers are:

175 Yes

8 no

This is not a scientific poll but still a good indication. I thank all those, even the no votes, that participated.

Eminent Domain.

The new Eminent Domain law was sign today. This will make the taking of property much harder for local governments. This is a triumph for the little guy against the over powerful developer.

http://www.kare11.com/news/news_article.aspx?storyid=125212

46 Pages

I have reread 46 Pages: Thomas Paine, Common Sense, and the Turning Point to American Independence. I have never given my opinion on reading material but this is a powerful book.

Thomas Paine lays out the argument for changing the relationship with Great Britain. The point that seems most salient to our situation is the idea that a system which has been in place for so long seems right because of its longevity. Paine refutes this idea point by point.

Fundamental change is always the hardest. Paine knew this and described the sacrifice needed to make such change in his next great work The Crisis. Our situation is not so dire nor so desperate but the challenge still needs to be met.

I encourage you to read these works if you have time this summer. They are short and yet encapsulate the basis for our system of government and the sacrifice needed to maintain it. We all often forget the great society we live in because of our busy day to day activities. It is these moments that we must remind ourselves to be ever vigilant. Freedom is taken bit by bit so as not to be noticed.

Remember we get the government we deserve by our votes.

Repost of Meth Town Hall Meeting

Meth-- Townhall Meeting


There will be a Meth Townhall Meeting Monday May 22nd, 7pm to 9pm. This meeting is free. The meeting will be held at the Richard G. Hardy Performing Arts Center at Cambridge-Isanti High School. Please call the Community Education Office at 763-689-6189 to register. Walk-ins are also welcome.

Meth and other drug use is a scourge to all of us, especially in Isanti County. I urge you to attend.

The power of JOBZ

Here is another instance of a City that uses the JOBZ program.

http://www.isanticountynews.com/2006/May/17italianfirm.html

Cambridge has lured MAPE, USA to their city. MAPE stated the JOBZ program will give them a tremendous advantage. Isanti's EDA had refused to use the JOBZ program. After I was elected to the Council I asked the EDA to reconsider. They flatly refused. I asked for an explanation and they said they just did not see its value.

Many of our neighboring Cities use this program. MAPE will have 15 employees and will spend $5.5 million dollars on production lines. These are good paying jobs. While Isanti has to fight over whether or not a company should have 2 or 3 $8 an hour jobs.

Change is needed desperately. We must shift our focus and expectations. We can not continue to subsidize low paying jobs while our neighbors attract strong businesses that pay livable wages.

This issue is important to all Isantians. Isanti needs more business growth to help alleviate residential property taxes. If Isanti continues to attract strip mall and low paying industrial jobs we will not be able to break free of high property taxes.

July 13th Parade

I have an entry for the July 13th Isanti Parade. Anyone interested in walking with us please email me with your t-shirt size. george.wimmer@genesiswireless.us

You will be given a George Wimmer for Mayor t-shirt to wear.

The more the merrier. We will be handing out candy and having fun.

Any questions let me know.

May 16th Council Update

I want to update you on the 3 items I detailed on May 12th.

1. Council compensation was discussed. I stated we are paid more than enough. Council Member Johnson wanted to get paid more because he felt the Council Members are attending more meetings. He bizarrely decided to bring my wife's profession as a Doctor into the debate. I warned him against such out of bound behavior. People may say anything about me, and they have, but my family is off limits.

Then Council Member Larson stated this should be discussed during budget talks. We should not dodge the issue. These Council Members wanted it researched and discussed so we should have made the decision.

There is no good reason to increase Council pay. We are paid above the area average. The ironic part is that Council Member Johnson and Larson were appointed by the Mayor to another committee. I asked if they will want even more money for yet another commitment.

I believe that we as Council Members have a duty to perform our duties regardless of our pay. We should not be looking to increase our pay for every meeting we attend. Our motivation should be to serve.

2. The "weed" field was discussed at Whiskey and Blossom. The varying responsibilities of the different landowners and the City of Isanti was detailed. A plan was discussed to till under the weeds and plant with grass and then enforce the maintenance of this area. I hope this will finally put this issue to rest.

3. Federated had its site plan approved by a 5-0 vote. This project will now move forward. As I have stated many times this is the key to further Main Street Development. The TIF captured from this project will be used to finance further Main Street revitalization.

Happy Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day to all those incredible women out there......

May 16th Council Meeting

There is a full agenda for the 16th. There are many rezoning and plat approvals. These include rezone of an area in the Richard Avenue neighborhood asking to rezone to R3 and allow multifamily dwellings. This does not belong in a single family part of town.

There are three other items that I want to highlight.

1. Several Council Members have asked to have our pay research. The Council does not under any circumstance need a pay increase. I will fight any type of pay increase. According to the information provided we should pass a pay decrease. Many of the Cities that are the same size actually pay less than Isanti.

2. The "weed" field growing northwest of Whiskey and Blossom. This has been an issue for the City for over a year. This was planted by Iverson Real Estate. City staff has been unable to get Iverson Real Estate to live up to their commitment. It is time this area is cleaned up. The residents have had to live with this nuisance long enough. The Council needs to take action and stop passing the buck.

3. Federated Co-op site plan is up for approval. This is an exciting project. This is the first of what will be a true revitalization of the Main Street Business District. Once this project moves forward the City will be capturing TIF money to help fund other Main Street business projects. Federated is a business I am proud to have in Isanti.

Rumor Mill in Full Force

The wild rumor mill has swung into action. I have received a few comments and emails from people who have heard that I am going to fire city workers or my personal favorite I will default on City Bonds. These are of course ridiculous rumors. I have laid my agenda out in great detail at www.georgewimmer.com.

If you hear such rumors please let me know. If you are not sure, call or write me. I believe my record speaks for itself. Do not believe these crazy rumors. People do weird things when they are scared of change. This is I am sure only the beginning. In 2004 there were wild rumors spread about me including that I supported the then city Administrator. I of course was the one that made the motion to not renew his contract.

Together we will make Isanti the City we all want it to be. This is just the last gasp of the good'ole boy network.

Planning Commission Issues

My industrial/Business reform request went before the Planning Commission. There was unanimous support for the idea but that is were agreement fell apart. This process is following the same pattern as my Development Impact List. The idea is great but it appears that no one wants me to get credit for it being my idea or doing the work. I had hoped the Planning Commission was not going to be ruled by petty politics but it seems to be following suit with the Council.

The other issue raised was staff time. This excuse is raised every time ordinance enforcement or reform is discussed. Planning Commission Members and City Council Members have never raised the issue when it comes to allowing developers expand the City. The idea that developers come before the residents of Isanti is asinine.

If we as a City can not spend the time correcting our current issues why would we want to compound them by further rapid residential growth.

I will continue to fight to reform Isanti regardless of what petty political obstacles are placed in my way.

Commissioner Duff raised private ownership of storm water ponding. I again stated the reason this was a bad idea as follows:

1. Residents may be able to claim greater ownership of land, they will however have no uses of this land as it is designated as a holding pond. This may give a false feeling of ownership.

2. The resident is to maintain their section of the holding pond. This is an unfunded mandate. Holding ponds gather water from a larger area than just the immediate neighborhood. The cost of its maintenance should not be on those that simple abut the pond. What do we

3. If the land is owned by the resident they will be taxed on the land. These will set-up the owner of the land paying a significantly higher tax bill with no benefit.

4. I am hard pressed to see how the City would lose liability for a structure it is mandating be built. Resident ownership may lead to having liability in case of a lawsuit.

The full discussion is at: http://georgewimmer.blogspot.com/2006/04/response-to-commissioner-duffs-letter.html

Humbled

I am humbled by all the amazing e-mails, phone calls and comments on my blog of support for my Mayoral race. I will work as hard as I can for the Citizens of Isanti.

A common theme centers on how you can best help in the campaign. I have set-up a page on my website to answer this question, http://georgewimmer.com/Involved.html . I will be looking for any and all kinds of help. Those that wish to have a lawn sign, they can not be placed until after August 1st.

Isanti has grown and so has the need for help in spreading information. Anyone who wishes to help please e-mail me george.wimmer@genesiswireles.us. Those that have already signed up I will send you special updates on campaign activities. I can only do this with your support.

Together we will make Isanti a City we can be proud of for generations to come.

Announcement for Mayor of Isanti

I here by announce my candidacy for Mayor of the City of Isanti. The City we know is quickly changing. Land is being acquired in a manner that will double or triple the population of Isanti. Our city needs to make the right decisions today to properly plan for this rapid residential growth and our future.

Our city's infrastructure will quickly be overburdened in the next five years, if we do not take thoughtful, measured, and responsible action today. As Mayor, I will prepare and plan for this growth and ensure we have the tax base to support these changes. While preparing for the future, it is essential to maintain the safety and small-town feel that makes our city great. I have already examined the challenges Isanti faces. The list includes:

Property Taxes & City Fees
Economic Development
Road Construction & Maintenance Costs
Traffic Impact
Sewer & Water Capacity
Police & Fire Protection
City Staff Priorities
Park & Trail Maintenance Cost

We need a clear picture of the impact of Isanti's growth. Whether you plan to live in Isanti the rest of your life or just a few years, we must plan now to control how growth will affect our property values, taxes, and City fees. These are issues for every citizen. Our City will grow tremendously over the next five years. Isanti needs a leader with a plan and ability to implement it. With that in mind, I have laid out an aggressive agenda for 2006. My plan centers around three guiding principles:

Citizen Safety
Economic Reform
Responsible City Government

Now is the time to make a choice for the future of Isanti. I ask for your support in my efforts to lead Isanti. To learn more about my 2006 Agenda, please visit http://www.georgewimmer.com/

Together we must preserve Isanti’s Traditions while planning for the future.

Subsidy Vote

I am going to make a quick follow up to tonight's Council meeting and will write a more detailed account later today.

The Mayor, Council Members' Johnson and Larson voted to approve waiving the subsidy requirement for Lexington Textile. The requirement is one $8/hr employee. The total subsidy paid to this company is $81,000.

It is not fair to all the businesses in Isanti that receive no subsidy to not hold the line. City taxpayers have to pay their tax bill no matter what type of year they are having.

If Lexington had a legitimate reason for not fulfilling their obligation they should present these facts to the Council. The Owner did not even show-up to make the argument. Tonight's 3-2 vote saved Lexington $41,000 in penalties. This should be worth a few moments of their time.

This leads to the greater problem of having bare minimum requirements for tens of thousands of dollars of City subsidies that have no apparent return. If a business ask for taxpayer money we must demand a higher standard than $8 an hour jobs. We owe our current businesses and City Taxpayers nothing less.

Website Attack

I just got through fixing an "attack" on my website, georgewimmer.com. It should be up and running fine now. If you run across any problems please let me know.

May 2nd Council Meeting.

The City Council has a full agenda Tuesday night. We will be discussing the placement of a community compost facility and hearing an update on the Emergency Management Plan.

The 2005 City audit will be presented. The Audit shows a trend that has been troubling to me. The City increased its debt load by 35%. The trend is highlighted by the fact that in 2002 the net debt per capita was $498, today it is $1,904. A 382% increase in debt per person is a trend that must be turned back.

Isanti is looking at further increasing its debt load for more industrial land. Adding land to the Industrial Park could be a good investment so long as the businesses that receive the land are an asset. I do not think that the process to continue to subsidize businesses that pay low wages is right for our future. If a business ask for City Money they have a higher standard than a business that can operate on their own.

Lexington Textile which is receiving a business subsidy is asking for a waiver on its requirement to add one more job. This requirement would bring the total to three employees making $8 to $10 dollars an hour. I can not support waiving this requirement. This is not fair to the majority of business in Isanti that do not receive a City subsidy. If a business is going to receive tens of thousands of dollars from Isanti it needs to fulfill its obligations.

We have a partial victory in the City Fee schedule. There will be no increase in the permit fees that each of us as Citizens pay. The issue is still the dedication fees by developers. I adamantly believe that these must increases to the area standard. It is incredibly cheap to develop in Isanti. We must make sure developers pay their fair share so we are not left holding the bag after they leave town.

We will be discussing the Minnesota Community Capital Fund. If any business desires this fund to be provided I hope you will make this known at the City Council meeting.

The 2006 Street Improvement Project bids are in. The low bid is 4.25% lower than the original estimate. The Council will be granting the bid at Tuesday’s meeting.

The Council will vote on approving a picnic shelter for Blue Bird Park. The shelter will be 20’x40’ with electricity. Park and Recreation fees, paid by developers, fund this project. The labor is being donated by Encomm at a savings of $11,500. This is the third major project for Park and Recreation that has used free labor. Two community parks build and this shelter will have saved the City roughly $100,000 in labor cost. I am very proud of our frugal approach in safe guarding City assets.

City Planner Resigns

Isanti's City Planner, Ms. Barker, has resigned effective May 12th. The position will be posted immediately. I will put a link to the job description on my blog as soon as it is posted on the City Website. We will be moving quickly to replace this critical position. If you have any input into the selection process or have any questions, please let me know.

Sign Ordinance

New Sign Ordinance is now on the City Website. I want to thank those businesses that helped work on this issue. I hope this process will be a road map to future solutions.


http:/www.ci.isanti.mn.us/index.asp?Type=B_BASIC&SEC={E2DC2493-5EA8-4C4C-AD15-8DCC0A18D172}

Meth-- Townhall Meeting

There will be a Meth Townhall Meeting Monday May 22nd, 7pm to 9pm. This meeting is free. The meeting will be held at the Richard G. Hardy Performing Arts Center at Cambridge-Isanti High School. Please call the Community Education Office at 763-689-6189 to register. Walk-ins are also welcome.

I will be there. Meth and other drug use is a scourge to all of us, especially in Isanti County. I urge you to attend.

Post Card Mailings

I have been receiving tremendous response from my post card mailing. I will respond to each of you individually but wanted to let you know it may be a few days to answer all the e-mails. I also ensure you that I will be working on the issues raised. This once again proves the value of open communications. Thank you for all the kind responses to my 2006 agenda.

Email List

If you would like to be on my News and Notes update list please e-mail me and let me know.

The list is confidential.

george.wimmer@genesiswireless.us

2006 Agenda

Open communication is the corner stone of Democracy. Citizens need to be able to easily access the governmental process. I am trying to change the dynamic of Isanti City Government. I believe that we must have a free flow of two way communication.

The city we know is quickly changing. Land is being acquired in a manner that will double or triple the population of Isanti. Our city needs to make the right decisions today to properly plan for this rapid growth and our future.

Our city's infrastructure will quickly be overburdened in the next five years, if we do not take thoughtful, measured, and responsible action today. While preparing for the future, it is essential to still retain and maintain the safety and small-town feel that makes our city great. I have already examined the possible challenges Isanti faces. The list includes:

Road Construction and Maintenance Costs
Traffic Impact
Water Capacity
Sewer Capacity
Police Protection
Fire Protection
City Staff Time
Park and Trail Maintenance Cost

We need a clear picture of the impact of Isanti's growth. Whether you plan to live in Isanti the rest of your life, or just a few years, we must plan now to control how growth will affect our property values, taxes and City fees. Isanti will grow tremendously over the next five years. With that in mind, I have laid out an aggressive agenda for 2006. This plan centers around three guiding principles:

Citizen Safety

Traffic Mitigation
Improved Policing
Mosquito Control

Economic Reform

Tax and Fee Reductions
Growing Isanti's Business Districts

Responsible City Government

Development Impact List
City Ordnance Reform
Residential Handbook
New Comprehensive Plan
Safe Guarding Distinct Isanti Neighborhoods
Board and Commission Reform

It is time to make a choice for the future of Isanti. To learn more about my 2005 Record and 2006 Agenda, please go to www.georgewimmer.com. I welcome your support in working together to preserve Isanti's traditions while planning our future.

April 18th City Council Meeting Update

The City Council discussed several items this evening. Five items I want to discuss include the approval of McDonalds, Sign Ordinance, Exotic Animal Ordinance, Sewer rates and Landmark Bank approval. The Planning Commission items that were on the agenda all passed. I have stated my opinion on some of these at:

www.georgewimmer.blogspot.com/2006/04/planning-commission-update.html

The Council approved the plans for a McDonalds at the corner of 5 and 65. There is still a possible traffic problem with direct access on County 5. The development of a McDonalds will spur further growth between 5 and Main Street. A representative from McDonalds stated they hoped the construction would be completed by the end of this year.

The Sign Ordinance was approved tonight. The two big changes is the 30 day restriction on signage has been expanded and real estate and development signs will now be limited. The goal is to no longer have dozens of signs at intersections.

The Exotic Animal Ordinance was passed tonight. The ordinance focuses on dangerous animals that can create a safety issue for Isanti.

I had asked that the new sewer rates be discussed. I want to make sure that we are tracking the revenues that are being collected. The City is collecting more money than was expected. I am hoping that we can reduce this rate soon. We need starting differentiating between commercial and residential rate structures. Commercial properties are charged the same way that residential properties are charged. I have asked that sewer rates be put on a future work session agenda.

Landmark Bank was approved to start operating out of a bank trailer off of highway 65 until their bank is completed.

Planning Commission Opening

Planning Commission has an open seat. Any interested in helping to guide the future development of Isanti should apply at City Hall. If you have any questions please let me know.

Update on attempt to change Agricultral Zoning

The Isanti County Planning Commission unanimously voted against amending the Agricultural Zoning to allow a Motor Sports facility. I applaud their decision.

McDonalds Update

I forgot to add that the McDonalds' restaurant was approved by the Planning Commission. This will be at the next City Council meeting Tuesday the 18th. The location is at the intersection of 5 and 65.

There may be an issue with County 5 access. I will keep you updated as this progresses.

Planning Commission Update

The Sign Ordinance and Exotic Animal Ordinance received no public comments at the Public Hearing. These will now move forward to the full City Council. A Petition was received asking the Planning commission to look at parking restriction of commercial vehicles in residential areas of Isanti.

The only contentious issue at the meeting was the Final Plat for Fairway Greens Phase two. This is the property just north and east of the cemetery on County 5 and east of 65. The tough issue is the four apartment buildings. These apartments will be adjacent to the cemetery. I voted in favor of this because there will also be a commercial development to the west and abutting County Highway 5.

I believe with the apartment building is the best use of this land. Very few people would want to own a home that is adjacent to a cemetery, a large commercial district and a major County Highway.

We are at our limit I think of apartment buildings. We need to keep a balance of all housing options and not be to heavily slanted to rental properties. I was also concerned about the added traffic on highway 5. This one of my most difficult decisions on the Planning Commission. I know some will not be happy with this vote but I felt it was the best option under these unique circumstances.

The last item was the request from the Isanti County Planning Commission to give our opinion on the proposed change in agricultural zoning to allow for a motor sport track. My direct quote was it is a terrible-terrible-terrible idea. The Planning commission voted to recommend not allowing this type of use in an agricultural area.

Planning Commission Meeting 4/11/06

The Planning Commission will be reviewing the following Items. First there will be 14 Public Hearings. Yes that is right 14. Most deal with plats in several phases. A request for a McDonald's is one of the Public Hearings. The McDonald's would be constructed near the current BP Gas Station at the intersection of 5 and 65. The Sign Ordinance and the Exotic Animal Ordinance will also receive a Public Hearing. I hope anyone who has concerns for either of these will attend.

We will also be discussing the Parking of larger vehicles on driveways and parking pads. This pertains to many commercial vehicles and RVs. These vehicles are currently prohibited from parking in residential driveways and parking pads. I believe we need to discuss if this is appropriate.

The Planning Commission has been asked to gives its opinion on the proposed change to the County's Agricultural Zoning to allow race tracks. This will become an important topic as Agricultural Zoning comes under attack. I do not think encouraging this type of use is appropriate. The added stress on transportation infrastructure and crime prevention does not get offset by any positives, if any, a race track would bring. Please look at www.ccflu.org for more information. This is the website for Concern Citizens for Land Use.

If you have any questions please do not be afraid to ask.

Library Board

There is an opening on the Library Board. I would like to hear from anyone who may be interested in serving on this board. This is a County appointment.

Response to Commissioner Duff's Letter to the Paper

I found Commissioner Duff’s letter to the paper on storm water ponds quite interesting. Mr. Duff wants homeowners to own the land that makes up these ponds. Currently the City owns this land. He states three reasons for this change of policy:

1. Residents can claim greater ownership of land
2. Residents are more likely to collectively protect the integrity of privately held land
3. City liability on these properties may be reduced.

I am on the Planning Commission with Mr. Duff and he has not had this issue on the agenda for discussion. I hope he would avail himself of the full Planning Commission to discuss this issue. I like new ideas. There seems to be four significant issues with this proposal however:

1. Residents may be able to claim greater ownership of land, they will however have no uses of this land as it is designated as a holding pond. This may give a false feeling of ownership.

2. The resident is to maintain their section of the holding pond. This is an unfunded mandate. Holding ponds gather water from a larger area than just the immediate neighborhood. The cost of its maintenance should not be on those that simple abut the pond.

3. If the land is owned by the resident they will be taxed on the land. These will set-up the owner of the land paying a significantly higher tax bill with no benefit.

4. I am hard pressed to see how the City would lose liability for a structure it is mandating be built. Resident ownership may lead to having liability in case of a lawsuit.

I hope Mr. Duff will in the future bring such ideas to the Planning Commission so we can have this conversation in a constructive manner. I also hope Mr. Duff will support the Ordinance reforms I have laid out in the past. The Planning Commission has reformed the Driveway Ordinance and is currently working on the Exotic Wildlife and Sign Ordinance.

George Wimmer
Isanti City Council Member

Traffic Light Approved

The County Commissioners unanimously approved the Traffic Light on 5 and 23 this morning. We now will officially have our traffic light. I would like to thank the commissioners for following through on this project.

As always I will keep you posted.

Council Update April 4th

The City Council approved a cross walk at the intersection of South Passage and highway 23. This will provide a safer crossing for the many walkers, runners and bikers. I also hope this will have an impact on slowing the speeds of drivers coming into Isanti.

A Public Hearing was set for the Lexington Textile request to postpone their requirements of their city Subsidy agreement. I have asked staff to provide the following information at the public hearing:

1. The amount of total subsidy provided
2. Amount of penalty owed to Isanti if Lexington does meets its requirements
3. If allow Lexington to alter their agreement what precedent is set
4. Is there a standard that must be met in order to allow an alteration of the agreement

The Council approved the total amount for the past due School Resource Officer payments from the School District. The District did not state they would pay this amount only that they wanted the total amount owed. I will keep you posted.

Walking Tour

I will be starting my third annual walking tour of Isanti the week of April 10th. I hope to talk to as many people as possible. If you have a specific time you would like me to stop by please e-mail me at george.wimmer@genesiswireless.us.

If you have any specific questions please e-mail me prior to our visit and I will research any needed items. I look forward to meeting each and every Isanti Citizen.

City Council April 4th

The April 4th City council agenda is fairly light.

The Council is being asked to accept $65,324 as payment for the balanced owed to Isanti from District 911. The School District has not made payment since a partial payment in the 2003-2004 school year. The School District has not said they would actually pay this amount but have asked for a bill stating the total balance owed. The District and the City split the cost of this Officer.

The School District has also stated they may no longer being budgeting for a School Resource Officer starting this fall. I hope this is not true. Having an Officer working directly with the schools is an asset for all of us.

Lexington Textile is asking the City to postpone their obligation to add one new job. This is part of the business subsidy agreement. The EDA, which is supposed to represent the best interest on f the City, has recommended that the City waive this requirement for 2006. This agreement has been changed once before. Letting companies that receive City subsidies out of their agreements is akin to allowing residents slide on their property taxes. The City would not accept this from residents so I see no reason to accept this from businesses.

These business agreements have very minimal requirements in the first place. Adding one or two employees in a 3-5 year window should not be too much to ask for when receiving subsidies from the City. This is only an issue for those companies that ask for money from the City to operate their business. We must make sure they live up to their commitment.

FEC Won't Regulate Internet Politics

The FEC has stated that it will not regulate politics on the web. This means the important free speech rights we believe in will continue to be protected. Here is a link to the story. The only restriction is if there is a paid political add placed on someone else's website.

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/F/FEC_INTERNET?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2006-03-27-14-11-35

Isanti is a Fit City

I am happy to announce Isanti's dedication to encouraging an active lifestyle has been rewarded. Isanti has been named a Governor's Fit City. There are only 14 such designated cities to date. The purpose is as follows from the programs website

.....http://www.health.state.mn.us/fitcity/


"The purpose of the Governor's Fit City Program is to recognize Minnesota cities that are committed to creating and maintaining a city environment supportive of active living. A Minnesota city making this commitment is providing opportunities for physical activity to people who live, work and play within the city. These opportunities allow people to make the choice to be more physically active. Physical activity improves nearly every aspect of a person’s health. Therefore, the Governor's Fit City Program will contribute to improving the health of people in Minnesota. "

I hope Isanti will continue its leadership in providing its residents with activity options.

2005 Police Report

I have just read my Isantian and was a bit surprised by the Police Chief's representation of the dramatic crime increases as "normal". I respect and understand our Chief's difficult position of not being given adequate staff to keep crime low. I do not believe that a 70% increase in assault, 42% increase in theft or a 24% increase in narcotics should be deemed normal.

We can not accept these high levels of crime as a simple by-product of rapid residential growth. Isanti must be committed to keeping crime rates low for all current and future Citizens of our City. Isanti must make crime prevention a priority.

The City Council has added 4 Administrative position in the last 2 years. This does not include the public works employees added. Zero Police have been added in the last 2 years. My request for a Police Officer starting in July of 2006 was rejected by the City Council and they hired an Administrative Assistant instead. My fellow Council Members must take these crime increases seriously.

I have included a link to my website page that has the full 2005 Isanti Crime Report.

http://www.georgewimmer.com/Police%20Report.html

March 21st City Council Update

The Isanti County Environmental Coalition presented information on the need for Conservation Corridors and advised the Council to consider this need when we are considering future development.

The Council moved forward on the process for the 2006 Street improvements. The following time table was presented by the City Engineer:

March 29th the project is advertised for bid
April 20th the City receives bids
May 2nd The Council holds an informational meeting and awards the contract
May 15th Contractor begins work
October 13th Contractor substantially complete
October 17th Council Receives assessment rolls and orders public hearing
November 21st Public Hearing
June 2007 Construction complete

I was appointed to the Development Review Committee. I believe this Committee can act as a check to make sure development pays for itself. Each Development Agreement must be fair to the citizens of Isanti. Each developer must be treated equally giving no special treatment to anyone.

The Mayor and Council Member Larson were appointed to the School liaison positions. I will be asking that they press the School District for payment of the money owed for the School Resource Officer.

The City Engineer will have specific office hours on Tuesdays. For more information call City Hall 444-5512.

Repost: Website

I have launched a website at www.georgewimmer.com. The website is another communication tool I intend to use to share my vision of Isanti. I detail my 2005 record and set forth agressive goals for 2006. I will also use the archive section to maintain articles and position papers with broader themes.

The website will be as all things are a work in progress. I hope you have a chance to check it out and any feedback would be greatly appreciated.

St. Patrick's Day

St. Patrick's Day is here and once again we all need to be safe. Please do not drink and drive. Call for a ride if you drink. Everyone be careful.

If you are interested in the Real St. Patrick here is link to a quick history.

http://www.st-patricks-day.com/about_saintpatrick.asp

Another Housing Indicator

Interesting item to keep in the back of our minds. Another reason to keep City spending low in case the housing industry does slow in Isanti.


http://www.kare11.com/news/news_article.aspx?storyid=121125

March 21st Council Meeting

I have chosen a few items from the March 21st council Meeting.

1. Council will consider the resolution for 2006 Street Improvements
2. Isanti County environmental Coalition
3. Banksite Development Agreement
4. Development Advisory Committee
5. School Liaison Committee

1. The City council will consider going out for bids for the scheduled 2006 street improvements. This is the first step in the improvements project. This will allow the Council to get a true cost of the project construction cost for all the proposed projects.
My priorities center on extending the sidewalk on highway 23, repairing West Main Street and replacing clay sewer lines with PVC piping.
2. The Isanti County environmental Coalition will present materials on the need to preserve Conservation Corridors in Isanti. They will also share other important information regarding our Rapid Residential Growth has on our natural environment. They are an important voice to listen too.
3. I have championed City Council approving developer agreements. These agreements have more to do with Isanti's future than any other single item. The Banksite agreement is the first such agreement to come before the entire City Council for approval. This is a city Government Reform I am very proud of. Previously these were negotiated with staff alone and the full City council would never know what was approved.
4. I hope to serve on Development review Committee. The nuts and bolts of development agreements happen at this stage. I believe it is important to have a watch dog make sure development agreements are fair and equitable. The future of Isanti depends on having development agreements that do not mortgage our future.
5. The City Council will discuses the importance of having a standing Committee to work on issues that arise with the School District. I hope this body will be preventive in nature. The key outstanding issue is 2 1/2 years of non-payment by District 911 for the School Resource Officer. Isanti Taxpayers have been paying this district wide expense. The other issue is the possibility that the School District will no long fund a Resource Officer in Isanti and Cambridge. I hope everyone lets their School Board Members know that these Officers are key to a safe environment in our schools.

Picture from the Artic Plunge

Sometimes we all have to jump in feet first to know what awaits us on the other side.

You can blow the picture up by clicking on it.

Censorship

Censorship can raise its ugly head anywhere. There are always some individuals or groups who feel they need to control the flow of information. WE can never allow that.

http://www.kare11.com/news/news_article.aspx?storyid=120661

4 Way Stop Update

Everyone be careful. The 4 way stop on 23 and 5 has a sign in the middle of the road. There also is no flashing light to let people know that the signs are there. I am hoping this will be resolved by Friday. The flashing light for night would be especially helpful because of the sign in the middle of the intersection.

The City of Isanti will have a squad car with the yellow lights flashing to warn people of the new stop signs. the Squad car will be in place through Saturday Morning. We are waiting from a response from the County for a flashing light on the stop signs in the middle of the road.

I will keep you updated.

4 Way Stop

The 4 way stop is in at 5 and 23. I have already received some complaints. There are two benefits. First, perhaps some officials will get a better appreciation for the traffic flow. Secondly it does make this crossing safer for our children to cross. The pain will last until the traffic lights are installed this summer. I will keep you updated.

We also better as a City have a plan in place for all the traffic that will be generated from the East of 65 construction. The intersection of 5 and 65 will be 10 times worse than 5 and 23. Plan plan plan. This is a question that all candidates for office this fall had better answer. I know my plan.

March 8th City Council Update

I picked a few highlights from last nights Council meeting are:

Amending Fee Schedule
Small Grants Presentation
MCCF Information
30 West Main
Blue Cross Blue Shield Contract
New City Hall Costs

The City Council tabled action on raising City Fees. Council Member Johnson did not feel it was appropriate to raise the Park and Recreation fees. The Park and Recreation fees are charged to developers. The money raised from this fee can only be used for new park construction or new land acquisition. Isanti is well below the region in the fees charged. Developers are getting a bargain and should pay a fair rate for developing in Isanti. I do not believe the Council should give developers special protection

I had a problem with the fees Isanti Citizens pay. These include a 38% rate increase for garage additions, 13% increase for decks, 40% for re-siding and a 50% increase for re-roofing. Council Member Kennedy and I felt that it is wrong to raise the rates on our citizens so much. The idea that we are keeping rates low on developers and raising them on individual citizens is wrong.

The rate structure was tabled so we could further debate the proposed rate increases.

The Small Cities Grant was tabled because the funds were not available to pay for the grant writing. The Council will debate whether we want to use taxpayer funds to pay for this activity.

The original funds for the grant writing were to come from a TIF district. Unfortunately a business has not paid their taxes from last year.

The Minnesota Community Capital Fund, MCCF, was presented. The MCCF is a financing tool used to give low interest loans to member community businesses. This financial tool can help businesses to grow and expand in Isanti. This is critical to all existing businesses. I have included the link to their website for more information. http://mncommunitycapitalfund.org/. I hope all area businesses take a look and give me feedback if they feel this is important to Isanti.

30 West Main was discussed last night. This is the City owned property that is at the corner of Main St and 1st. It is often used as a quasi parking lot. The City Council has direct staff to include this at the next work session. We will need to see options for this lot. I believe we should sell this excess property. The key however is it needs to be apart of an overall plan for Downtown parking. Isanti has the familiar problem of parking downtown. This lot has been used as overflow parking.

If we simply shut it down, and sell it without an overall plan we will cause more parking issues and will be a detriment to downtown businesses. We must help create a solution and not cause even more pain to Main Street.

The Council last night approved a Park and Recreation action to apply for a Blue Cross Blue Shield funds. These funds will be used to pay for various marketing of our Cities Trails and Parks. I believe it is important to pay for these options with grant type money. This is a tremendous cost savings for our Taxpayers.

We had an update to City Hall Cost. The total cost for City hall to date is $1,555,784.21 with a $25,000 contingency. I have stated repeatedly that we can not afford to spend anymore on City Hall. We are already 30% over budget. If there is a need for more spending it must be taken out of other spending. We must stop this slow bleeding of money.

Fee Schedule Update

I have received an update from City staff on the 1994 to 1997 fee schedule. The following are the 3 new percentage increases.

Garage 38% increase

Addition 12% increase

Deck 13% increase

This on top of dramatic increases in other fees to our citizens, some reaching 50%. I have seen no logical or legal reason for raising fees this dramatically.

Main Street Development

I have talked to a few Main Street businesses about a comprehensive plan of action for revitalization. This was started due to the City possibly selling 30 West Main. This is the corner NE corner of Main and 1st. This is currently used as over flow parking.

I have stated that I approve of selling excess City land. The issue now is where do we allow parking when Main Street traffic increases. I will be asking we table the sale of the land until the EDA has a comprehensive plan for Main Street.

We can not take action in an ad hoc fashion. We need to plan for the future or we will have tremendous cost in solving future problems.

Party Caucus March 7th

Party Caucuses are March 7th. I hope everyone attends. If you, as many people, do not belong to an organized party you should still pick a caucus and observe the proceedings. We can all learn a lot by participating or watching the caucus process. Decisions are made by those who show up.

http://www.isanticountydfl.com/ Isanti County Democrats

http://www.mistercambridge.com/republicans/ Isanti County Republicans

http://www.lpmn.org/ Minnesota Libertarian Party

http://www.mnip.org/ Minnesota Independent Party

http://www.mngreens.org/ Minnesota Green Party

http://www.isanticountynews.com/2006/March/1caucus.html
Link to published Caucus locations in the Isanti County News.

Artic Plunge

I did the Plunge....and yes it was cold. It seemed to be a bit colder as we all watched the large 2-3 foot blocks cut out of the ice. I was one of the last jumpers to take the plunge and was able to see some of the creative costumes.

There was a large crowd for this Fire Fighter fund raiser. I was happy to play my small part in this event. It was a lot of fun and I will make sure to do it again next year. This is another example of a great community coming together for a terrific cause.

I would like to thank the organizers for their hard work. Volunteers never receive the credit they deserve. Thanks to all those who make this a special event.

Mailing list

If you would like to be on my Blog and City updates list please e-mail me and let me know. The list is confidential.

george.wimmer@genesiswireless.us

March 8th City Council Meeting.

City Council meeting on Wednesday March 8th includes the following key items:

1.Amending Fee Schedule
2.Small Cities Grant Presentation
3.Sale of City property at 30 West Main.
4.Final City Hall cost of $1,555,784.21
5.New City Hall cost $25,000

1.The new fee schedule has extensive rate increases. The specific fees that concern me are the building fees. Many of these fees have dramatic rate increases of 40% to 50%. These are the fees that you and I pay as individuals. There is also the nebulous increase in deck and basement fees from the 1994 to the 1997 structure. I had asked for examples of this increase in dollars. This has yet to be provided.

2.I wanted the Small Cities Grant tabled from the last City Council meeting so the City could get more than one bid to administer the grant writing. The only applicant also has a relationship with another City Vendor. The second bid the City received looks to be $5000, or almost 30% less than the previous quote. I hope that City staff will in future do due diligence and receive multiple quotes.

3.The sale of this property seems to be the best thing for the City as a whole. I do not think Government entities should be in the business of owning excess property. This move does however cause a parking issue downtown. I want to create a committee of Main Street Businesses to work on the parking problem. This would follow on the heels of the Sign Sub-committee that has been incredible successful. This is a partnership with business that will succeed.

4.The cost of City Hall was roughly 30% over budget. This has been a failure in city planning. The full budget was not revealed until the middle of 2005. This was a failure in city Council oversight that must strive not to repeat.

5.I will not tolerate any more spending on City Hall that is not cut from somewhere else in the Budget. Enough said.

Park and Recreation Board Meeting

The Park and Recreation Board heard from representatives of the School district tonight. The points I came away with are:

1. The School District has provided the land and is developing sports fields.
2. The PTO, parent Teacher Organization is raising funds for play ground equipment.
3. The $24,000 is a small amount of the total being spent.
4. The District interprets the City Council Resolution in as broad a way as possible.

My Response:

1. The ball fields will be scheduled through Community ED and I am sure will be full most of the time

2. If the PTO did not exist then I would assume there would be no equipment. The City also passed the Resolution dealing with the School District not the PTO. The District seems to be triple dipping into the tax payers pocket. First with the initial bonding issue, secondly with the $24,000 in waived fees and lastly by having parents, who have already given twice, buy products their children sell to raise funds.

This last one seems to bother me more than most. One P&R Board member thought it was great to have kids sell. I do not. I am not sure when this happened but we seem to use our children as fund raisers more and more. It was mentioned that it was a Civic Duty for the children. Amazing how Civic Duty has been so twisted. I will not be surprised if the School District sends our kids out to raise money so they can be bused to school.

This is a philosophical argument I know. I did my "Civic Duty" and bought $24 from the PTO fund raiser. I worry that we continue to dip into the same pocket of the same taxpayers and it will run dry. The City of Isanti is below the state average in household income. There is already resentment over busing, activity fees and a bonding bill that our residents rejected. How many times can the taxpayer be pushed until they start to push back. We have hard working citizens in Isanti that expect their elected leaders to get the job done right the first time and not to come back with hat in hand.

3. If the $24,000 is such a small amount of money I will be happy to take it back.

4. I am extremely disappointed that the School District has taken an act of good faith and stretched it beyond reason. I have learned that if we ever partner with the District or other political entity that every detail will be spelled out verbatim.

The Park and Recreation Board approved Aluna Design to start work on a Park and Rec website and logo. This must then get aprroved by the city Council. This website will have maps and directions to city parks and trails. We will also have other information posted.

The Board will do the annual park tour the 4th Tuesday of April.

Repost of Artic Plunge

I am reposting the Artic Plunge information. It is only one week away.

Artic Plunge

I will be participating in the Artic Plunge. Yes I will be taking the big dip in the frigid waters of Long Lake. I am of course assuming that winter will make another appearance this year.

I have included the Artic Plunge information. I hope everyone will attend. This is a charity event for our Fire Fighters.

The 4th annual Artic Plunge is Saturday March 4th 2006.

Location: Sunrise Resort Bar & Grill on Long Lake

Events include:
8 a.m. registration for the 10 a.m. Vintage Snowmobile Races
1 p.m. Ice Cutting Demonstration by the Englund Family
2 p.m. Artic Plunge into Long Lake

Please call 612-282-6246 for information on taking the “Plunge”

4 p.m. Musicmen DJ service

There will be a meat raffle, raffle tickets and refreshments.

All proceeds will be donated to the Isanti Fire Department.

Please contact Carrie @ 612-282-6246 or Sue @ 763-234-9691 with any questions.

911 District Playground Update

The Park and Recreation Board will be discussing 911 School Districts lack of communication regarding the Isanti Intermediate School's playground. Please read, http://georgewimmer.blogspot.com/2006/02/more-alarming-news-from-district-911.html, for further background information. The District has been contacted by Our City Administrator, the Park and Recreation Board, and by myself.

There has been zero response. If the School District does not respond soon I will be asking the Park and Recreation Board and City Council to request our $24,000 back in waived fees. Again these fees were waived by City Council Resolution because the Intermediate School would be providing a park/playground.

The City has asked for a School District representative to come to the next City Council work session with no response. The Park and Recreation Board will be asking for a representative to be at our next meeting.

Communication is the key to any successful relation, we are sadly lacking that in this case.

Eminent Domain and Party Politics

Wade Vitalis, Chisago County Democratic Chair, recently asked how many people in Isanti or Chisago counties are living under the threat of Eminent Domain. The Citizens of the City of Isanti, estimated at 5,000, dealt with this issue in 2005. A local resident is currently struggling under the Eminent Domain process. The City Council on a vote of 3-2, I voted against, decided to take a Highway 65 access from an individual and place it to the benefit of Isanti’s largest developer.

This can happen to any of us. The idea that local government can take from the individual and give to large developers or corporations is the very tyranny our forefathers fought against in the Revolutionary War. All citizens must be given an equal chance to succeed. The improper use of Eminent Domain strikes at the very core of fairness and equality for all.

Property taxes are a concern for the two counties residents. If Mr. Vitalis lived in the City of Isanti he would have realized an almost 8% reduction in property taxes.

The greater point is if Mr. Vitalis would concentrate on democratic, with a small d, ideas and not Democratic Party politics we would be able to resolve the Eminent Domain and property tax issues.

Strong debate by all sides is what makes America great. We should however refrain from attributing evil intent to anyone’s position. The main issue I have with Mr. Vitalis is he is attributing deceptive or pandering to Senator Nienow.

I personally wrote Senator Nienow a letter last year asking the Legislator to protect the individual property owner from local government tyranny. I wrote last year against Eminent Domain, which was a non-election year.

The battle of ideas will determine who represents us at all levels of government. I suggest Mr. Vitalis reads Thomas Paine’s Common Sense. This will give you a base for the argument against the destructive use of Eminent Domain.

February 21st City Council Update

The Exotic Animal Ordinance was tabled to have the Planning Commission review the City Attorney's comments. The Planning Commission will discuss this at the March 14th meeting.

Community Pride Bank was approved for immediate operation. The bank will initially operate out of a double wide bank trailer. The permanent structure will be built this summer with expected completion in early fall.

We discussed the Small Cities Grant. The grant will be a useful tool for continued revitalization of the Main Street Business District. I had a deep concern there was only one quote. The quote is for a company to do the application of the grant. The quote the City received was for $17,000. I told staff that if we are going to spend this much money we need at least two quotes. The company that applied has a relationship with another City contractor. I stated this can have the appearance of impropriety, especially if there are no other quotes. I believe that we always need to be above reproach when spending City funds. I moved to table this action until the next Council Meeting. There will need to be at least one other quote.

The City Council voted to approve the extension of the City sidewalk along County 23. This action will create a safe route along highway 23 from South Passage to Isanti Parkway. This was a personal goal from the moment I started to run for City Council.

The City Conflict of Interest Policy was reviewed by the City Attorney. I asked if we could have applicants for City Boards and Commissions fill out the Conflict of Interest forms when they apply. This is important to consider and will hopefully avoid having commissioners and board members who have conflicts of interest. We need to have Citizens serving without a personal or financial stake in business before the City.

Isanti County Environmental Coalition

I have asked the Isanti County Environmental Coalition, ICEC, to speak at the March 14th Planning Commission meeting. They will be presenting information on the importance of incorporating environmental impacts into our Comprehensive Plan. This information will help us to be good stewards of our City and environment. I believe it is important to learn as much as we can from all sources. The information that the ICEC presents will be integral in making sure Isanti does its part preserving our environment.

We have a duty ensure proper land use. This also has the added benefit of maintaining higher home values. Trails with nature viewing would be an added benefit for home owners. This may not seem like a need today but in 50 years this whole area will look just like Coon Rapids.

Lets keep Isanti unique and special. We must incorporate green space and wildlife corridors in our planning to ensure that Isanti’s natural beauty will be seen for generations to come.

February 21st Council Meeting

I have picked out a few of the important items from the February 21st Council meeting. We will be reviewing the Exotic Animals Ordinance. The Planning Commission has been working on this for the last few months. I have been suprised that there has been no public input. This is amazing considering all the issues the County and townships have been facing regarding this issue.

Community Pride Bank will be presenting there site plan and asking for a Conditional Use Permit for their upcoming bank project. The bank would be located east of Highway 65 in the Fairway Greens development. This will add a third banking institution to Isanti. I am strong believer that competition in all areas makes Isanti a stronger community.

I have asked that the County Highway 23 sidewalk be included in the 2006 street construction and repair. If this is included there will be either a trail or sidewalk the entire distance of 23 on one side or the other. This coupled with the 23 and 5 intersection work and trail extension will give all of us, especially children, a safe route along this busy county highway. This sidewalk is a high priority and needs to be approved.

The City has an opportunity to lower City employee insurance rates. The savings to Isanti is 22.4% for the same coverage. This equates to $63,546 a year in savings cost. This is fantastic news for Isanti City Taxpayers. It is rare to be able to lower health insurance cost and maintain the same high level of coverage. City staff has done a good job in this process.

The City Attorney will be reviewing the Conflict of Interest Policy. This is incredibly important to the fair and transparent use of City power. All Citizens rich or poor need to know they will receive the exact same level of service. I feel strongly that all Citizens and Taxpayers must be treated equally and know their elected officials are not influenced by personal gain, financial or otherwise.

The Police Department will be asking to fill the two vacant part time Officer positions. This will bring the Police force back to its previous level. I hope there can be agreement to bring the Police force to this subsistence level.

Clarification

The letter in the Isanti County News from Planning Commissioner Duff had incorrect information. There will not be a hearing of the Sign Ordinance at the February 14th Planning Commission meeting. The title for this letter, apparently chosen by the paper, makes it appear as though a hearing is set for the February meeting. There will be a quick update on the progress made. Commission input will also be asked for. The Sign Sub-Committee plans to have this ready for a public hearing at the March 14th Planning Commission meeting.

All public hearings are posted by City staff. I hope this clears up any confusion.

911 Update

Isanti City Staff met with District 911 staff regarding only the School Resource Officer, SRO. The School District and City staff will work out a solution to be reviewed by our Police Commission. I am hopeful this issue can be resolved.

The subject of the School Park has yet to be resolved. The City of Isanti passed a resolution in 2005 waiving the Park Dedication Fees. These fees are estimated to be over $20,000. The School District would be in violation of this Resolution if the money they saved was not used for the park.

I will keep you updated.

More Alarming News from District 911

School District 911 has shown their disrespect to the Isanti City Taxpayer. The first issue is the playground at the new school in Isanti. This was originally presented to the City of Isanti as part of the school build. The City was asked to waive fees in excess of $20,000. These fees were waived in anticipation of this playground serving the entire neighborhood. The School District did not include the playground in the final build.

Now the School district will be sending out our children to raise the funds to build the playground. Our children will literally be responsible for the School Districts decision not to fund this park. If this is the School Districts decision then they should pay Isanti back the $20,000 plus dollars Isanti contributed to this project through fee reductions. The letter in the Cambridge Star is asking only Isanti Businesses and citizens to help pay. The Isanti Taxpayer should not pay a District expense. The children going to this school are not just Isanti City kids. Children from the surrounding townships will also be attending.

The second issue is the School Resource Officer. The School District and the City of Isanti have had a letter of understanding stating the District pays 68% of the School Resource Officer. Isanti has not received a single payment for 2005-2006 school year and is stilled owed more than $7,000 from 2004-2005. To add insult to injury, Cambridge is being paid for their School Resource Officer. Isanti City staff will be meeting with School District staff to resolve this issue.

As an Isanti City resident and Council Member I believe it is shameful to have the Taxpayers of Isanti pay District wide expenses. I would expect more from the District 911 School Board. I will not stop working on this issue until the City of Isanti is treated fairly.

City Council February 7th Meeting.

The Isanti City Council voted to install stop signs at County 23 and 5. These signs will have no bearing on the traffic lights scheduled to be installed after the end of this school year. We also voted to ask the County to do a speed study on Highway 23 on Isanti's southern border. This is done to move the speed zone south as the City continues to expand in this direction.

Brian Iverson had his assistant read his letter of resignation to the Council. I am glad we can now move on from this situation. I have been calling for his removal from the EDA since last August. The City can now select an individual that will not have the conflict of interest issues that surrounded MR. Iverson. My reasons are posted here: http://georgewimmer.blogspot.com/2005/08/august-3rd-council-update.html.

Federated Co-op laid out their vision of the remodeling of their facility on County highway 5. I am extremely excited by this project. This is the first business to take advantage of the Central Business District (CBD) Revitalization program. Isanti is on the verge of a tremendous reemergence of Isanti’s CBD.

The Council set March 8th for the Public Hearing regarding the City fee increases. Many of these fees will have dramatic increases. IF want to be heard make it to this meeting.

Sign Ordinance Sub-Committee

The Sign Ordinance Sub-Committee met February 1st. More progress has been made on temporary signs. We are looking at allowing temporary signs to be posted year round. These would be restricted in size and type. This is not a final decision but there seems to be broad agreement that 30 days is far to short a period of time.

I am strongly behind allowing businesses the flexible to use signage to bring in business. Many businesses have stated they bring in 40% to 60% of their business with temporary signs. The signage must however not be overwhelming. We must maintain an aesthetically appealing city.

We are working on a formula that allows businesses a portion of the total road frontage allowed. This means that if there are 5 businesses in a building each business would have 20% of the total allowed sign space. We are also looking at allowing businesses to buy the space allowance from their neighbors. These are just some of the ideas we are working on.

We are trying to use a high level of creativity to solve this problem and fix our current Sign Ordinance. Please contact me with any questions, concerns or helpful comments.

Comprehensive Plan

We had our 2nd Comprehensive Plan meeting Thursday February 2nd. This meeting was well attended. We have established a number of goals that will be further defined at the next meeting. No date has yet been set. The meeting that defines the broad goals will be incredible important. As they say the devil is in the details.

I will be laying out my thoughts in detail in the next few weeks.

Isanti County Environmental Coalition

I will be meeting with the Isanti County Environmental Coalition. I am trying to educate myself on enviromental issues. I am smart enough to know I need to learn as much as possible regarding enviremental impacts of development. Isanti is working on a Comprehensive Plan that determine land uses for up to 10 years. We need to make sure enviremental concerns are adressed. I will be discussing the following topics:

1. Isanti County Environmental Coalition input into the Comprehensive Plan.
2. Discussion on a County wide trail system.
3. Open green space incorporated into City planning.
4. Responsible Rum River recreational use.
5. Home building reducing wetlands.
6. Home owners filling in wetlands that abut their homes.
7. Isanti County Environmental Coalition input into home owners manual.
a. Home owners manual would be given to City residents.
b. This manual would contain ordinances and other important information.

I will inform you of what I have learned and discussed.

February 7th Council Meeting

There are a few important items on the February 7th Council Meetings.

The first item that I wish to discuss is the Business Subsidy for Federated Co-op. The subsidy is the first step in the overall Central Business Districts (CBD) Revitalization program. The subsidy is paid out of increased tax revenue. This revenue is generated when Federated builds a new facility. Isanti will continue to receive its current tax revenue. The new building will be more attractive and generate a higher level of tax revenue in the long term.

It is critical the first project in the CBD is a success. We have many more opportunities along Main Street. Success breeds success. We need to make sure this process continues with all the support we can muster.

The Council will be taking official action to request a speed study on Highway 23. This study will be conducted by the county. The goal is to move the City speed zone further south on Highway 23. As we extend the city limits the slower speed zones will need to follow suit.

The next agenda item I want to discuss is the option of having a 4 way stop at the intersection of Highway 23 and 5. This is a stop gap until the traffic light is installed. I am not convinced a 4 way stop will make the intersection safer. The end result may be more accidents unless the intersection has flashing lights or other clearly marked signs. I also fear long traffics lines on Highway 5. I am looking into this further and do not currently know which way I will vote on this proposal.

Mr. Iverson’s resignation form the EDA will be acted on. I have written previously on this topic. http://georgewimmer.blogspot.com/2006/02/eda-opening.html

The last major item is the City Fee schedule. The fee schedule ranges from developer to builder to citizen. All fees are being reviewed. City staff is requesting a raise in many areas. There are some significant possible increases. These range from dog impounding to deck and siding fees. I suggest if you want input into these fees you attend the Council meeting.

EDA Opening

Mr. Iverson resigned from the EDA, Economic Development Authority. Mr. Iverson's statement of resignation pointed to my continued questions of his membership. I have made the argument that Isanti’s largest developer should not serve on an appointed City board or commission. Please read the following post for more information.

http://georgewimmer.blogspot.com/2005/08/august-3rd-council-update.html

Isanti will be accepting applications for this position after Tuesday’s Council meeting. The City Council must first accept his resignation then direct staff to post for the open position. I hope we will find a City resident to fill this position. The EDA is a critical Board to the success of Isanti's business community. I will post more on this position in the future.

Isanti Council Work Session

This was my list of priorities for the goal setting session.

1.Define work direction for city staff.
2. Board and Commission reports to Council.Appointed Council Members give a 5 to 10 minute report to the full Council on objectives and projects that are being worked on.
3. Formation of Finance and Development Review Committees.
4. Establish monthly Council work sessions.
5. Mandatory Department Head management training.
6. Review of staff representation on outside boards.
7. Monthly Department reports to Council.
8. Department goal setting by Council.
9. Direction to Boards and Commissions on attendance.
10.Development impact fee.
11. Greater Chamber of Commerce involvement.

The Council met to discuss goals for the next two years. We had some heated discussion once again about my blog and the Isanti Police Department. All other items were handled in a cordial and professional manner.

Items 1, 2, 4, and 9 from my list were discussed and agreed to by all Council members. This includes staff being once again allowed to complete the Development Impact List.

There was agreement on forming a Development Review Committee but not a Finance Committee. We discussed department head training but no resolution was reached. We did not discuss staff representation on outside boards, development impact fees or greater Chamber of Commerce involvement. I hope to continue to push for these items. I have asked to have Staff representation on outside boards discussed at the next City Council meeting.

I asked for support of a 3 and 5 year budgeting plan. A 3 and 5 year budget plan will establish Isanti's priorities. We will be able to better understand the needs and obligations to our Citizens if we have a long term view. This long term view of budgeting will help reduce excessive City spending. Long term planning is the only way we can serve the needs of all Isantians.

The 3 and 5 year budget plan along with the Development Impact List will have the longest lasting affect on our Great City. These are not the sexiest items and will not get the most press, but our City will operate at a higher level after implementation. The concern was raised by other council Members that the time needed to develop these tools is not worth staff time. I could not disagree more. The Budget Plan and Development Impact List will allow City Staff to work smarter not harder. These tools will have great time and money savings.

Comprehensive Plan

The next Comprehensive plan meeting is Thursday February 2, 2006 starting at 7pm at City Hall. It is extremely important you attend. This plan will be the blue print for the next decade of city development.

Artic Plunge

I will be participating in the Artic Plunge. Yes I will be taking the big dip in the frigid waters of Long Lake. I am of course assuming that winter will make another appearance this year. I have included the Artic Plunge information. I hope everyone will attend. This is a charity event for our Fire Fighters.


The 4th annual Artic Plunge is Saturday March 4th 2006.

Location: Sunrise Resort Bar & Grill on Long Lake

Events include:

8 a.m. registration for the 10 a.m. Vintage Snowmobile Races

1 p.m. Ice Cutting Demonstration by the Englund Family

2 p.m. Artic Plunge into Long Lake
Please call 612-282-6246 for information on taking the “Plunge”

4 p.m. Musicmen DJ service

There will be a meat raffle, raffle tickets and refreshments. All proceeds will be donated to the Isanti Fire Department.

Please contact Carrie @ 612-282-6246 or Sue @ 763-234-9691 with any questions.

Cambridge County Market

The Cambridge County Market is converting to a Cub Foods according to the Isanti County News. Read the following article for further details.

http://www.isanticountynews.com/2006/January/27CountyMarket.html

City Work Session

The Isanti City Council will be meeting Tuesday 4pm-8pm January 31st at City Hall. We will be discussing procedures for directing city projects. This includes what authority city boards and commissions have to direct staff time. This became an issue when Mayor Apitz and Council Member Larson blocked staff from working on the Development Impact List. The full Council will be discussing goals for 2006.

I will be presenting the following list for Council consideration:

1. Define work direction for city staff.
2. Board and Commission reports to Council.
Appointed Council Members give a 5 to 10 minute report to the full Council on objectives and projects that are being worked on.
3. Formation of Finance and Development Review Committees.
4. Establish monthly Council work sessions.
5. Mandatory Department Head management training.
6. Review of staff representation on outside boards.
7. Monthly Department reports to Council.
8. Department goal setting by Council.
9. Direction to Boards and Commissions on attendance.
10.Development impact fee.
11. Greater Chamber of Commerce involvement.

I would like to hear from the public if they have other issues that need to be discussed. If you live, work or own property in Isanti you have a vested interest in the future of our great City. This is a public meeting if anyone wants to attend.

Sign Ordinance Sub-Committee 1/26/06 Update

The sub-committee met this morning and made progress on permanent signs. We have also discussed differentiating commercial/industrial and residential development signage. Progress has also been made with temporary signs. We will hopefully have draft language at the February 1st meeting.

Residential real-estate and development signage has been an issue of concern. We need to balance the business need with resident safety and aesthetic appeal. We discussed 1 larger sign per development and 1 information yard sign per lot. Real estate signage would allow two direction and 1 yard sign per home being sold. These are just two examples of the working process to date. IF you have any concerns or suggestions please let me know.

Email List

I have been asked again to inform you that if you would like to be added to my e-mail update list to let me know. Simply e-mail me at george.wimmer@genesiswireless.us and I will add you to the list. I generally send out 1 update every two weeks. This changes only if there is something important and urgent to make you aware of. This list is also confidential. No one knows you are on the list but me.

Sign Ordinance Sub-Committee 1/19/06 Update

The Sign Ordinance Sub-Committee met this morning to discuss the needed revisions to the current sign ordinance. We will be meeting again next Thursday to continue this process. The key points discussed today were:

Definition of permanent and temporary signs
Signs on buildings
Having several temporary sign categories
Signs in residential neighborhoods
Sign size
Sign aesthetics
Permit cost
Time allowed displaying sign

These topics and others will be worked on by city staff and this sub-committee. If you have any questions please let me know. I hope to have a draft ordinance by the Feb 14th Planning Commission meeting.

January 17 Council Meeting

On a tie vote of 2-2, Council Member Johnson was absent for the 2nd meeting in a row, the City Council refused to allow staff to work on the Development Impact List. Mayor Apitz and Council Member Larson praised the List and the good work accomplished but then voted to stop its progress. They seemed to be concerned that I had initiated this work. The Council will take this issue up at the January 31st work session. I hope to renew the work on the Development Impact List after this meeting. The work needs to be completed before Isanti starts being inundated with development plats for 2006. For further details please read the previous post.

The Council left all appointments at status quo for 2006. All board, commission and committee members will remain the same.

Progress is being made on the remodeling of the old City Hall. The Police Department will move to this location once the remodeling is completed.

January 17th Council Agenda

The Isanti City Council will be designating the City’s official service providers at the January 17th meeting. These include the Official Newspaper, garbage collector, bank depository, and many other essential city services.

Committee assignments will also be decided. There are 15 committee assignments and the position of Mayor Pro-Tem. These include but are not limited to EDA, Planning Commission, Liquor Committee, and Fire Board. These committees are essential to good governance.

The last issue I wish to discuss is the Development Impact List. This will be reviewed and discussed at Council. I had made the request to the Planning Commission and city staff to develop tools reporting the impact of development. This list includes:

Road construction and maintenance cost
Traffic impact
Water capacity
Sewer capacity
Police protection
Fire protection
City staff time
Park and trail maintenance

This list will drive the creation of planning tools to calculate the impact of development. These planning tools will then dove tail into the short and long range budget and planning process. The goal of these tools is to bring a clearer focus to both the positive and the negative issues of our Rapid Residential Growth. It will ensure that future Planning Commision Members, Council Members, and Isanti Citizens will know the impact of our planning decisions. Together we are making a difference. I will keep you updated on the progress of the Development Impact List.

Isanti Annual Police Report

The Isanti Annual Police Report for 2005 has been completed and is available to the public. I have posted a number of the key statistics for the City of Isanti. The previous statistics I shared with you revealed Isanti County’s crime data.

I was happy to see Criminal Sexual Conduct has declined. The other key criminal statistics had dramatic increases. This report will now be updated monthly and available to the public. I believe providing as much information as possible to the public is critically important to making educated decisions on Isanti's priorities. I have served on the Police Commission and worked with Chief Sager to develop monthly reporting tools. This is one of several issues that the Police Commission has been working on.

This data once again shows the need for more policing in the City of Isanti. Our current police force has increased the miles they drive on patrol by 29%. These Officers are working hard. We need to give them the tools and resources needed to succeed.

Sign Ordinance Sub-committee

The Planning Commission established a sign ordinance sub-committee to create a draft ordinance for the Planning Commission to review. We will hopefully be meeting early next week. The intent is to have a draft ordinance to review by the February 14th Planning Commission meeting. The subcommittee will have 5 business members, 2 Planning Commission members, and 2 city staff members. I have the honor to serve with this group. Please let me know if you have any input into this process.

Sign Ordinance

The Planning Commission will be discussing revising the Sign Ordinance at the Tuesday January 10th meeting. This meeting is 7pm at Isanti City Hall. I encourage everyone to attend. I will be proposing a 6 step process over 3 months to correct this issue.

1st. The Planning Commission will adopt a draft Ordinance at the January meeting.

2nd This Draft will then be disseminated to the Business Community.

3rd All comments will then be due back in time for the February Planning Commission meeting.

4th The Planning Commission will then incorporate these comments into the process.

5th The Planning Commission will then recommend the Draft Ordinance to City Council at the March Planning Commission meeting.

6th The City Council will then approve or deny the Draft Ordinance at the last Council meeting in March.

I will also recommend that there be a 3 month moratorium on the current ordnance enforcement unless there is an egregious situation.

This is an outline of the process I will be recommending. I am but one vote on the Commission and Council and do not speak for either body. Whether you agree or disagree with this process I hope you attend the Planning Commission meeting. An ordinance can be created that fosters a strong Business Community while maintaining the aesthetic appeal of Isanti. Please send me any comments or concerns you may have. Thank you for your time.

Candlelight Ski

The annual Candlelight Ski at the Anoka Ramsey Community College is going to be held on February 18 5:30 - 8:30 p.m. Door prizes will be awarded at 7:30 and there will be blue grass music by "High Ground" and cookies and hot chocolate will be served.

The ski route has changed slightly because of construction but the Ski will start at Campus Center of ARCC, Cambridge.

We hope you can all attend!

Limiting Eminent Domain Rights

Here is an Eminent Domain story. The move is on to limit this destructive practice of taking from individuals and giving to developers. Isanti had its own case of this last year. This destructive practice must end.

http://www.kare11.com/news/news_article.aspx?storyid=115856

I had also written a post on this last year.

http://georgewimmer.blogspot.com/2005/07/eminent-domain-and-voting.html

Yearly Appointments

The Isanti City Council did not make its yearly appointments to Boards and Commissions on January 3rd. This was decided by city staff and the Mayor. These appointments to Boards and Commissions are always made at the first City Council Meeting of the year. This includes the EDA and Planning Commission which have been the focus of some controversy in 2005.

The decision to move this to the next meeting was made because the Mayor and Council Member Johnson would be absent. This appears to have been done to make sure that appointments would be only made when the "correct" votes were available.

This manipulation of the agenda due to members’ absence should not be tolerated. I doubt if I was going to be gone I would receive the same privilege. Why are these two given such special power and consideration? I was not aware they would be gone until they did not show up at the meeting. Council Member Larson and city staff knew days, if not weeks earlier.

If Mayor Apitz and Council Member Johnson did not want to miss the yearly appointments vote then they should have made the Council Meeting a priority.

January 3rd Council Update

There are two topics from the Council meeting I want to discuss. The first is the Greater Minnesota Housing Fund (GMHF) Grant Agreement. The 2nd item is Isanti's water quality.

The grant agreement covers $50,000 from the Greater Minnesota Housing Fund. This grant is tied to the Comprehensive Plan. I had several questions centering on the requirements placed on the City. I questioned the definition of affordable housing.

The definition provided is total housing cost to the homebuyer is no higher than $140,000. This would entail the City subsidizing these homes. With lots currently being sold with ranges of $50,000 to well over $100,000 Isanti taxpayers will be asked to help fund each new "affordable" house.

The Housing Fund requires an “adequate” level of affordable housing and participation in a model project. The model project again is a method to create affordable housing.

I have significant concerns with these types of projects. This type of project assumes there is not enough “affordable” housing currently in Isanti. I have asked for a survey of Isanti’s current and planned housing stock. We need to know what we have before we add more low cost housing. I believe Isanti has a core of this housing currently. If we start adding new low cost housing on the outer rim of Isanti, we will no longer have the natural impetus to maintain the current housing stock. This means that we could end up with many older homes being neglected and possibly turning into rental properties in the cities core. This is a problem many cities have had to manage.

Isanti also needs to maintain a level of housing that generates enough property taxes to provide required services. We can not focus primarily on low income housing. The focus needs to be on providing adequate housing options for current and future residents. This project also assumes a level of local subsidy.

The main method used for creating these model “affordable” housing projects is small lots. The GMHF recommends 60 and 40 ft lots. This would require building house on top of house and causes me further concern.

The first step in this process is obtaining the information I requested on current housing stock. Secondly, if we have a need for more affordable housing, then we need make sure we keep a balance between older and newer properties. I want to make sure if this type of project is created, it will help those that are in need in the community. Isanti taxpayers should not become the solution for low income housing issues in the greater metropolitan area.

I understand the need for low income housing. I grew up in an extremely poor household. I also understand the need to maintain a balance between low, medium, and high end housing to have a healthy community. I look forward to a vigorous public debate as we move forward in this process.

The other topic of water quality was discussed. The taste and order of Isanti’s water has suffered from the high residential growth. The chlorine equipment has reached its capacity. A new larger unit will be ordered to again improve the taste and smell of Isanti’s water. There is not a health concern. Enough chlorine has been added to remove any harmful germs/bacteria. Any questions, please let me know.

Happy New Year

I want to wish everyone a happy New Year. Please be safe this weekend and take special care if drinking is part of your celebration. Read this Isanti County News Story about the Sober Cab program. http://www.isanticountynews.com/2005/december/14drunk.html


If you drink do not drive.

Merry Christmas

I want to wish everyone a safe and Merry Christmas.

Bad E-mail

I had a bad e-mail address link on the Blog. My correct e-mail is george.wimmer@genesiswireless.us