Lino Lakes Ledger
Municipal Canvassing Board Certifies Election
The Municipal Canvassing Board met prior to the regular meeting of the Lino Lakes City Council of Nov. 13 to certify the vote tally from the municipal election held on Nov. 6.
Three members of the City Council were present: Mayor John Bergeson, Donna Carlson and Jeff O'Donnell.
The election results were presented by Deputy City Clerk/Election Liaison Jean Viger.
The 2009 Street Reconstruction Project was defeated, with 1,606 votes against and 696 votes supporting the referendum which, if successful, would have raised taxes to help pay for street and utility improvements in the West Shadow Lake Drive area.
In his bid for a fourth term as mayor, incumbent John Bergeson defeated John Freimuth, 1,353 votes to 737 votes. There were 26 write-in ballots.
Council member Dan Stoltz was re-elected to a second term, earning 1,434 votes. Kathi Gallup was elected to her first term with 1,416 votes. There were 81 write-in votes. Candidates for council ran unopposed.
Council Member Donna Carlson, who chose not to run again for office, requested clarification as to why the number of registered voters in the city declined since the 2005 municipal election, when there were over 11,000 registered voters.
According to Viger, the Minnesota Secretary of State "purges the list" after voters do not cast a ballot for four years. Voters then have to re-register, and can do so at the polls. For the 2007 municipal election, there were 10,908 registered voters in the city of Lino Lakes by the end of election day.
First Reading Of 2008 Fee Schedule
Council held the first reading of Ordinance No. 16-07 establishing the city's 2008 fee schedule. Proposed changes include: an increase in tobacco license fees to $100 per year; clarifying the cost of providing and duplicating public data; provision for rental property licensing fees at $50 for 1 or 2 units; an increase in building inspection, permit and plan review fees; in addition to other revisions.
Vote to approve was 4-0. The second reading will be held Wednesday, Dec. 12.
In other action, the council:
. Approved the expenditure of $4,000 to purchase a business/rental property licensing software program to track individual property licensing.
. Approved an excluded bingo permit for the Blue Heron Elementary PTO.
. Approved a revision to the Vadnais Lake Area Water Management Organization (VLAWMO) Rules which would allow the organization to establish a storm water utility for generating revenue.
. Took public comment and tabled consideration of an ordinance vacating a portion of the drainage and utility easement in the Park Grove plat. The vacation, requested by Stephen and Jacklyn Tlachac to facilitate construction of a larger swimming pool and deck, concerned neighbors, who say that additional ponding in back yards would be undesirable.
First reading of the ordinance will be held Nov. 26.
. Approved Change Order No. 7 for the Lake Drive/I-35W Improvement project in the amount of $96,766.80. An existing 40-year-old storm sewer pipe was found to conflict with the new bridge pier. A new pipe must be jacked under the freeway to maintain existing drainage patterns.