08-20-1991 Special Meeting MinutesSTATE OF MINNESOTA A special meeting of the City
COUNTY OF WRIGHT Council of the City of Otsego
CITY OF OTSEGO was held this 20TH day of August
1991 at 7:OOPM. Norman F Freske,
Mayor, Douglas Lindenfelser and Floyd Roden, Council Members,
Jerome Perrault, Clerk, Elaine Beatty, Deputy Clerk, Lani
Will, Former Deputy Clerk, Bill Radzwill, and Andy MacArthur,
Attorneys, Pete Raatikka, Engineer, Don Leuer, Appraiser, and
Malcolm Watson, a Certified Appraiser, were present.
The meeting was called to order by Mayor Norman F
Freske. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss the
upcoming trial on the lawsuit against the Town of Otsego by
19 residents of the Hall's Watershed area protesting their
assessments for the Storm Drain put in late Fall of 1986.
Halls Addition was developed in the middle 1970's after being
approved by the County Commissioners even though the Otsego
Town Board at that time, were opposed to it being developed
and when water problems developed, the County Commissioners
refused to be of any assistance.
Malcolm Watson asked what role Don Leuer had played in
the assessment process? Bill Radzwill explained that Don had
viewed the area and assisted the Town Board in determining
who benefitted from the Storm Drain and to what degree. He
told Mr. Watson that he wants him to check the records of Don
Leuer and Pete Raatikka (who engineered the Storm Drain
Project) before the trial to familiarize himself with the
project. Mr Watson asked why the residents who were
protesting the assessments were scattered thru out the Halls
Watershed area. Bill Radzwill explained to him that their
Attorney, Felix Minella, was present at the Assessment
Hearing and went around signing up those who were protesting
the assessments.
Bill Radzwill advised Pete Raatikka to have his survey
maps with him and when he is called on to testify at the
trial, he wants him to explain the perimeters of Halls
Watershed and how he determined them. He further advised him
that he wants him to stress at the trial that the drain was
put in to benefit the whole watershed and not just the area
around Halls Pond. We want to focus on the fact that we
benefited the whole watershed.
Bill Radzwill advised Clerk Jerome Perrault that he will
be calling him to testify as to the accuracy of the Minutes
of the Town Board Meetings pertaining to the Storm Drain and
the Assessment Hearing.
Bill Radzwill also advised Norman F Freske, Doug
Lindenfelser and Floyd Roden who were on the Town Board when
the Storm Drain was put in, that he wanted them present at
the trial to testify in case he would need them, and also
Lani Will, who was Deputy Clerk when the Storm Drain was put
in, and Elaine Beatty, who was Deputy Clerk at the time of
the Assessment Hearing.
Malcolm Watson said that when he is called to testify,
he will be making a statement of what constitutes an
SPECIAL CITY OF OTSEGO COUNCIL MEETING OF 8-20-91 AT 7:OOPM-
PAGE 2 -
assessment. He said he has viewed the properties of those
protesting the assessments, has their current property values
and will be comparing those to the market values of recent
property sales in the area. He will be comparing property
values after the drain is put in as to what they would be
without the drain.
The trial is scheduled for Monday, August 26, 1991 at
9:00 AM in the Wright Co Courthouse.
On motion the Special Council Meeting adjourned.
FLOYD R DEN, COUNCIL
RON$-LD G BLACK, COUNCIL
JP/eb
DENFELSE
LARRY F WRNIER , C UWCIL`
COUNCIL
ATTEST: JEROME PERRAULT,CLERK