Fireworks are not limited to celebrations in July. The City of Ham Lake's Mayor was at the center of a hullabaloo due to a misused metaphor that was construed as bigoted. The spark of controversy was amplified by local media last week when Mayor, Paul Meuiner as voiced his frustration as the only one on the bandwagon for development proposal including a town center and city water and sewer.
Read the full story of Mayor Meunier's controversial racial comment HERE.
That situation aside, the real news is that city water and sewer and the town center appears to be off the table in Ham Lake's comprehensive plan that will be presented to the Met Council later this year. The Ham Lake Planning Task Force has completed its mission and the proposed comprehensive plan will be available for community review on May 13, 2008. It appears that the tremulous and emotional meetings filled with Ham Lake residents are at an end.
Residents that are unavailable on May 13, will have a final opportunity to review the plan at another open house on June 9 when the public hearing will be held. Information and maps are also posted on the Ham Lake City Website.
Highlights of the plan include:
The city council is open to the possibility of batched systems paid for by direct users for the businesses at Hwy 65 and Crosstown and residents in the Coon Lake/Hiawatha Beach area to address concerns noted and discussed in the task force meetings.
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Copyright 2008 Teri Eckholm http://www.terieckholm.com/
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oh my....Yes I would think what the mayor said would get a few people upset.
Whether racially motivated or not, that was definitely an odd analogy to use.
Sandra--I missed the meeting where the comment was made but the local FM morning DJ's had a field day discussing his blunder. The important news for many in Ham Lake is that the controversial city water and sewer proposal spearheaded by the mayor is not going forward. Though this is an interesting sidebar.
Rosario--Odd is one way to describe the comment...And definitely inappropriate for any forum....Being in the minority on an issue could have been better described.
Teri, I believe the mayor is going to have more then a few apologies to make--I can't believe someone would think that, let alone say it---
Teri, even our local politiicians can get themself in to hot water when they speak before they think.
Hi Teri,
It's good that you're providing info for the local issues, obviously important to all. You know what they say,...all politics are local.
Carole--I was surprised when I heard about it too--It wasn't a well thoughtout analogy...And to repeat it. Makes no sense to me.
Marchel--Funny thing was that he was given an opportunity to clarify and restated the comment verbatim. Oh well...the good news for Ham Lake residents is that our rural atmosphere will be preserved as he was in the minority of people in favor of the drastic changes.
Lynda--This is an important real estate story but the politics make aninteresting sidebar. The story affects Ham Lake residents as the city sewer and water proposal would have drastically affected a homeowners ability to sell their homes in this community. Thank goodness a majority of the city council decided against pursuing option further.
Hi Teri, it is very difficult to get projects of this magnitude accepted or understood. Nice update.
Gary--Thanks...I know you have been following this story...People understood the plan but it was hard to approve when a similar plan failed miserably a few years back in the neighboring community of Ramsey. The magnitude of the loss is tough to deal with in a slow economy and homeowners are forced to absorb the loss with higher taxes.
Teri - sounds like a few of the issues we are dealing with - our Mayor (city is only a year old) has terminal cancer - and we are dealing with septic issues and sewer issues - it gets pretty heated