LAKE VIEW, IOWA – JUNE 30, 2010
With the words, “We may as well get this over with”, Mayor Westergaard called the June 30, 2010 special meeting of the Lake View City Council to order.
On June 21, 2010 the lake View City Council put ink on the agreement to provide Camp VanMeveren with a loan to help hook into the city sewer in return for which, Camp VanMeveren would be voluntarily annexed into Lake View City limits and become part of the tax base. This was to be the end of two plus years of negotiations. You can click here to watch the deliberations and read the version of the agreement that was approved on that evening.
Unfortunately, one of the Camp VanMeveren representatives, Vern VanMeveren did not agree with what was signed, particularly the portion in which the city would annex Camp VanMeveren. Mr. VanMeveren revealed that at some point 5 to 7 years in the future, they plan to turn the area known as Camp VanMeveren into a housing development. According to other observers, this fact is something that has been denied up until this meeting. At no time during the course of the June 30, 2010 Lake View City Council meeting did Mr. VanMeveren demonstrate a desire to allow Camp VanMeveren to be voluntarily annexed until after that housing development event takes place.
…and that ultimately led to the breakdown in talks. In 2002, before the current members of the city council took office, the government put into place a law disallowing city services outside of city limits without volunteer annexation. This was done to keep people from benefitting from city services without becoming part of the tax base.
What Mr. VanMeveren was suggesting was going to lead to the repeal or rewriting of that law to allow for people to receive city services without becoming part of the city… A road the current city council clearly had no wish to go down.
As the impasse became more evident, tempers flared and nothing further was accomplished before adjournment.
After the meeting adjourned and the participants left the building, an argument broke out in the parking lot. I didn’t personally witness who it was as I was still breaking down my gear but the yelling could be heard from inside the council chambers.
As I left, Mr. VanMeveren re-entered the chambers looking agitated and using foul language while addressing the city administrator. I exited, knowing I was probably going to be asked to leave anyway, as the meeting was no longer in session and there was no quorum present.
A follow up call with the Lake View City Administrator on the afternoon of July 1, 2010 revealed that no significant headway was made between the City and Mr. VanMeveren during that after-meeting negotiation session.
June 30, 2010
1. Lake View City Council Called to order.
2. Scott Peterson goes through the new draft agreement and points out similarities and differences.
3. Lake View City Council and VanMeveren discuss proposed changes at length.
- New boring direction.
- Electrical service.
- Easements.
- Future easement requests.
- Building permits and garbage service.
- Storm water infiltration.
- Prior approval by the owners, (not the city) before anyone else can hook on, and who gets the connect fees.
- New owners and what powers they have.
- New owners and what their powers will be (continued)
- Out of pocket costs will be minimal.
- Legal and philosophical ramifications of hook-ups outside city limits without annexation discussed.
- Legal and philosophical ramifications of hook-ups outside city limits without annexation discussed. (continued)
- Mr. VanMeveren seems to suggest that the reason for the annexation clause is personal.
- Clarification of the Tiefenthaler addition issue.
- Procedure for changing the annexation spelled out.
- Another trailer park has already asked to join on to the proposed line.
- Council reminded of rational behind why the annexation law is in place.
- Mr. VanMeveren announces the intention that Camp VanMeveren be turned into a housing development on a 5 to 7 year schedule. (At 5 minutes 43 seconds on this video)
- “If it’s over, it’s over, I don’t care… Close it up. Close the park up.”
- Mr. VanMeveren claims that the city council passed an agreement that they have not seen.
- “Maybe we can start over.”
- Councilperson Foval-North suggests that both sides get lawyers and sit down for one more try at a serious negotiation.
Copyright (c)2007-2010 Curtis Bloes All Rights Reserved
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