by Dennis Dalman
The Sartell City Council and LeSauk Township have approved two joint-powers resolutions – amicable agreements for an orderly annexation policy and for special assessments when required.
The word “amicable” is key because in cities throughout the nation, annexation is often a contentious tug-of-war between cities and townships, causing mutual distrust and hard feelings.
At the Aug. 11 Sartell City Council meeting, the city administrator and several council members gave the highest of praise to Mayor Ryan Fitzthum for his several years of work in close communication with the township board and with LeSauk residents. Time and again, Fitzthum patiently explained the city’s needs, and he carefully listened to and considered the concerns of township officials.
“We owe him (Fitzthum) a huge amount of gratitude for the work he put into this,” said Sartell City Administrator Anna Gruber.
Council member Tim Elness agreed. When he was on the joint city-township planning board some years ago, relationships vis a vis annexation issues could become problematic, causing members to put up “walls,” Elness recalled. In the last four to five years, there has been good communications and much improvement, he added.
Fitzthum explained the dilemma: Throughout Sartell, there are a scattering of property lots, including homes, here, there and everywhere that are, in fact, in LeSauk Township. When it comes to infrastructure, the city tries to recapture the costs spent on those township properties, which are like “islands” within the city. Even police costs enter the picture, since police answer calls to homes in those township “islands” when it should actually be the sheriff’s department responding.
What the new joint annexation agreement does, Fitzthum said, is to allow assessments by the city for those costs without having to “forcibly annex” township parcels into the city’s jurisdiction.
The new agreements define exactly where the city is coming from and where the township is coming from – their respective needs, including the hows, the whys, the whens. In other words, mutual protection for both entities, done amicably.
Like the city, LeSauk Township unanimously approved the new – some would say “historic” – agreements.
What the new joint annexation agreement does, said Fitzthum, is to allow assessments by the city for those costs without having to “forcibly annex” township parcels into the city’s jurisdiction.
The new agreements define exactly where the city is coming from and where the township is coming from – their respective needs, including the hows, the whys, the whens. In other words, mutual protection for both entities, done amicably.
Like the city, LeSauk Township unanimously approved the new – some would say “historic” – agreements.