The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink AboutDNR grant info FRon FAX NO. :9524476671 Dec. 30 2004 02:55PM P2 Decen1her 20, 2004 Tn: Mayc)r Jack Haugen and fhe City C01ll1cil of Prior La.ke, MN regarding: 1) I~R()POSED Il.JLEGAIJ llSE ()F DNR FUNDS TO BUILD I)OLI(~E STATION1JAlL/CITY IfAlJL IN' LAKEFI~ONT PAR.K and 2) ATTEMPT TO MIS'USE THE $7.8 MJI.Jl,ION LlBltARY AN.D PAltKS REFEREN'DlIM ~'1U'NDS 3) LACK OF REAL PlJB,LICI.NPUT ON SITE SELECTION FOR ]'OLICIC ST ATION/JAIL/CITY .HAJJ" 1) PROPOSED ILLEGAL U..ft:E OF DNR FUNDS TO ,BU.1L.D POLICE STATIONIJAILICITY/IALL IN'LAKEFR(}NT PARK: Mayor Haugen and City Manager Frcillk J30yles denied that DNR money was used to purchase the Kop faml at an infomlatiol~al meeting on Dec. 13, 2004 about site selection for the new Police Station/Jail/City BaR Resident. Dan 'Swanson asked if any DNR money' was used to purchase the Kop property. They both said no. Mayor Haugen talked about it being a myth. Mayor Haugen also said there were "absolutely" no deed restrictions on the Purchase Agreement of the Kop farm. After the meeting, he also came up to Bruce Wetterlin, Susan Shroyer, Da.n Swanson and another person and said again that this was just one of several myt.hs that was floating around. This was a meeting attended by approximately 40 people, including the Police Chief, the editor of the Prior Lake American and Councilman Jim Peterson, Upon'checking with the state the next day, we learned that a. $50~OOO.OO check was written on May 12,2000 for the "Kop Farm Acquisition" from the DNR Outdoor Recreation Grant program. Btuce Wetterlin stated this in his Dec. 18~ 2004 Prior Lake American "l..etters to the Editor." On Thursday Dec. 16, 2004, Susan Shroyer talked to Wayne Sames, the administrator of DNR local grants. He illfonned her that the Kop farm is to be used. only for outdoor recreation purposes. He pointed out that Frank Boyles' signature is on the grant. He also said that there is a 8(;~paratc Deed Restriction that was also filed with the state in which the city again agreed t.o use t.his park only for outdoor recreation purpo~ef'. Frank Boyles' signature is also on that. Upon checking the City Council minutes, it becomes apparent that Frank Boyles was involved in this every step of the way. One of many examples is the March 15, 1999 City Council meeting in which Condtmna1.ion proceedjngs were approved against the Kop mnn (which was later dropped when a final Plice wa,s agreed on). When Susan Shroyer sajd that she was an:a.id to ta.ke on City Hal), Bruce Sames of the DNR Grant Progra.m said that he was glad she had ca.lled. He said Ulere were several other DNR grants tied up in Lakefront Park and for Prior Lake itscl( plus there was at FROM FAX NO. :9524476671 Dec. 30 2004 02:55PM P3 least one federal grant He said t.hat the City might be endangering other gra.nt: possibilities in the future. ()bviously~ they would have found Ollt eventually. He also said that this could have been VERY EXPENSIVE TO THE .PEOPLE OF PRIOR LAKE. H.e said tnat he will be contactillg the city to clarify this. Additionally, the chances oftne CIty taking this designated parkland hack fOJ" City use are extremely sliIn. 'The head of the DNR would have to OK it (very rare) and the City would have to buy another chunk of property to replace at least the 15 acre Kop site (or it might have to replace the whole of Lakefront Park.-not sure of this yet). It would be very expensive, tilne consuming and m.ost likely 'would not be approved. .' Clearly Frank Boyles knew' about these restrictions. We have eye witnesses and a very wide paper trail. S() WHY HAS THE KOP FARM IN LAKEFRONT PARK BEEN TilE ILLEGAL CHOICE OF TIlE CITY COUNCIL FOR THE PAST TWO YEARS? It a.ppea.rs that City MaIlager Frank Boyles has been deceiving the Mayor and the City Council about this all a.long. We have the proof SEE A TT ACHED COPY OF' TH}: DNR GRANT AND DEED1?ESl'RI(.~.TION. PLEASE (~HECK THE CITY MINUTE~' fl'OR FllRTHER CORROBORATION. 2) ATTEMPT TO MJSV..~E THE $7.8 MILLION APPROVED TN A LIBRARY AND PARKS AND RECREA 110N REFERENDUM BY THE VOTERS: The Library and Parks and Recreation. referendum authorized the money to be used ONI,lY for the Library and Parks and Recreational use. This specifically included a.cquisition of the Kop funn into Lakefront Park. This was approved in a !\pecial election on February 25) 1997. i (Susan Shroyer says: I have talked to the Mayor and other city officia.ls 011 a number of occasions about the fact that the voters specifically voted to buy the Kop farro as an addition t.o the park. They have told me that it wa.q reaUy city land that could be used for the park OR for general city use. They indicated that the city owned, it and that it could use it however it saw fit. This is clearly not true.) SEE' A ,'l~rA CHEIJ COpy OF THE REF'EREN1) U^J. 4) LACK OF REAL PUBLIC INPUT ON SITE SELECTION FOR POLICE STATIONIJAJUCITY HAL.L: The five home{)wners (including Bruce Wetterlin and Susan Shroyer) who live adjacent to Laketiont Pa.rk were notified.for tlae.(u!.t time on December], 2004 that their homes had been added t.o the possible site for the new Police Station/City Hall. The City Council intends t.o vote on this on January 181 2004. This is approximately 1 1,1 months over the Chri~tmA.s holidays. FROM FAX NO. :9524476671 Dec. 30 2004 02:55PM P4 Twc> informational meet.ings have been scheduJed-one was held on December J 3 and one is scheduled for January 10, 2005. The five homeowners were notified and it was mentioned in the Prior Lake Atnerican several times. The.fir.ttt meeting was held without any ()fle eJ'elf. taking minutes. How is the City Council supposed to be receiving input ifno one is even conveying the public's thoughts fonnally back to the City Council. We would like to have real public hearings on this subject with advance notice oftbe sites illustrated clearly on a Inap. The City Council has added Q new mq;t)r site a4jucent to the IJork that lvill be oppo,et/ t() by ,".any of the Pef,ple of Prior lAke-for the sanw. . rea....on Illat they o~ie.et to the Koplar1fr.fite. However, only ".few people. e.1'en knilw it is IInder considerati(Jn! ! ! ! We w()uld at least like OUT concerns about building in or adjacent t.o the park to be taken seriously by the City Council including the security of our children using the park and taking away the wilderness atmosphere that makes Lakefront Park one the most beautiful parks anywhere. We feel that is is inappropriate and dangerous to put the Police Station/JaiVCity Hall neat any park just as we would oppose the same thing next to a school. This is very inlportant to the citizens of Prior Lake Pltuue solicit ollr input instcallof trying to "fast track" your way ;IIto what will1ikely be a poor and wide{v unpopular site.. ~ ~. ~~~ !jb6V ~ SfSE (j~) ~_ mnJ S~~:j.V p~J q 5 Z - 'f tf f " / s '3 g e-m~,jr ")ltsa.115hrlJ!eJ @J/,UIO. ('_0"1 ..u) q ~ 2._ - V l/ i- - r; .s.-;, 0 /