04/22/1996 Council Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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COUNCIL MEETING APRIL 22, 1996 their number one priority. He said that other misinformation is from the experts at OSM. The Wenzel Farms residents have argued about the merits to warrant a signal light. Because of the misinformation that was given to the residents and because the OSM officials have flip flopped back and forth, a resident of the neighborhood went with the OSM and City official to MnDOT to listen to MnDOT because they control all matters regarding signal lights. Mr. Weigold said that the City, OSM and residents have no say as to whether or not there will be a signal light. MnDOT has said that if all the traffic from Elm Street is direct it to the school, this increases traffic which helps warrant the signal light. The best MnDOT has said is "maybe". The misinformation from OSM has been maybe, high probability, 99%, a guarantee, then back to a high probability and then to guarantee. That is part of the reason that the neighborhood wanted a resident at that meeting. MnDOT's "maybe" still stands today. If all the traffic is sent north past the middle school for the best chance to warrant a signal light, MnDOT has said "maybe". Mr. Weigold said that the Wenzel Farms neighborhood does want a signal light. However, if MnDOT says no, what is the next best option. There are other alternatives. He said this road is scheduled to be turned over to the County in the fall. At a previous meeting, which most of the citizens here tonight did not attend, it was said that this would give the City and the City Council that much more weight to exert on the County to install a signal light. Even the County has to meet the same warrants, this would give the City more pressure to place on MnDOT. Mr. Weigold said that the City has the State's "fancy" jail in Lino Lakes and the City just conceded to doing something special for that. The idea is that because the City conceded to something for the prison, the State will do something for Lino Lakes. Mr. Weigold said that this is supposed to all take place before the middle school is constructed. He said give the Superintendent credit, he's got this entire thing whipped up in a frenzy, making statements about postponing the school year as well as other statements about Wenzel Farms being against the light. Mr. Weigold said this is a "crock". He said he and his wife went to the very last public meeting about the impending bond issue last fall. He had heard about the bond issue in District No. 11 (Anoka/Hennepin) and that although the bond issue passed for the construction of a school, there was no money included in the bond issue for staffing the school. Mr. Weigold reminded the Superintendent about this matter and he asked him what happens to Elm Street. The Superintendent said nothing. He told Mr. Weigold that there is an advisory group that has worked for more than a year to make the new middle school possible. They have put all the specs and numbers together and have looked at all the pros and cons. Mr. Weigold said that Mr. McClellan took his notebook, drew a picture of where the middle school was to be located on the site, where the road changes will be and said that this is all done and is almost engraved in stone. Mr. McClellan said that the land has been purchased and the money has been accounted down to the last penny. He said that the School District will not be coming back and asking for money from the City even for the road construction. According to the Quad Press, the City will be putting in the road and it will not be funded by the School District. Mr. McClellan told Mr. Weigold that the pine trees, the natural buffer zone along Elm Street will not be lost. If the City decides to choose Option F, all but about 10 of the pine trees will be lost. PAGE 28