HomeMy WebLinkAbout1995.08.30 CC Minutes - Joint meeting with Washington County BoardMINUTES OF THE HUGO CITY COUNCIL - WASHINGTON COUNTY BOARD - METRO COUNCIL
AUGUST 30, 1995
The joint meeting of the Hugo City Council and the Washington County Board
members was held at the Washington County Board Room, Washington County
Government Center, Stillwater.
Hugo City Council Members Present: Fran Miron, Andrew Goiffon, Marvin
LaValle
Washington County Board Members Present: Wally Abrahamson, Chair; Mary
Hauser, Dennis Hegberg, Dave Engstrom, Myra Peterson
Metro Council Member Present: Curt Johnson, Chair: Terry Flower, Chuck
Arnason, Jewel Smith, Mary Hillsmith, Jim Solem, District Administrator
Others Present: David Schumann, Hugo Planning Commissioner
The Metropolitan Council made a presentation of current issues including
land use planning, affordable housing, transportation and the
restructuring of the Metropolitan Council.
Wally Abrahamson, Washington County Commissioner Chairman, opened the
meeting shortly after 7:OOPM. and introduced Curt Johnson, Metropolitan
Council Chairman.
Mr. Johnson gave an extensive rundown on the Met Council reorganization
including the responsibility of managing the Metro Transit bus lines. Mr.
Johnson also described the transition of the Met Council from years past
to today and the numerous problems in planning for not only the seven
county metro area but the peripheral three or four extra counties
including a county in Wisconsin. Full count/ and interstate cooperation
are important.
Mr. Johnson introduced Mr. Solem from the Met Council and Mr. Solem spoke
extensively on the need for sensible community planning with special
emphasis on reducing urban sprawl. The number one reason being that
cities could not break even, tax structure wise, on the infrastructure
necessary to accommodate new development even taking into account more
expensive homes. Mr. Solem pointed out that the Twin Cities was the third
largest area in acreage compared to population in the U.S.
Innovative ways to reduce urban sprawl includes clustering. Mr. Solem
introduced Chuck Arnason, who represents the largest portion of Washington
County on the Met Council. Mr. Arnason stated that a positive an
constructive attitude was necessary to cope with our present and future
problems in the Metro area. He also encouraged more citizen
participation.
Mr. Abrahamson then opened the meeting to questions from the public
officials and spent about one hour answering questions and responding to
comments.
Met Council board members assured the audience that individual issues were
under consideration and generally apologized for a lack of solving area
problem issues.
The St. Croix River bridge, affordable housing, public transportation and
land density issues were among the foremost discussed. Met Council also
felt that an accountability to the public issue was involved and welcomed
the opportunity to share what the Met Council did and share some of their
limitations.
Mr. Abrahamson closed the meeting around 9:OOFM with a comment of
appreciation of Hugo's comparatively large turnout and invited everyone to
linger after the meeting to further question county commissioners and Met
Council members.
Recorded by: David Schumann