“The Township is asking Cottage Grove to continue to be great neighbors by staying neighbors. We have the resources and the ability to govern. Please respect Democracy and allow us to govern the people and businesses of Grey Cloud Island. This wouldn’t mean much to Cottage Grove but it means the world to our residents and the history of our great Township!””

Dan Ohmann, Town Supervisor

The public hearing for annexation is April 19 at 7 p.m., at Cottage Grove City Hall.

Now in the petition stage with a public hearing at Cottage Grove City Hall April 19, a mining company named Holcim MWR Inc. with mines in both Cottage Grove and Grey Cloud would like to have some of its lands annexed to the former municipality, from the latter.

Grey Cloud Township would rather that Cottage Grove pass on the annexation request from Holcim, inasmuch as the town board considers the current petition a way for the company to get around mining restrictions in Grey Cloud Township, where mining operations are somewhat different.

Making petition to join 119.5 acres of Grey Cloud Township to the city just recently, Holcim asserts that the existing township form of government is inadequate to protect the public health, safety, and welfare of the surrounding community, “due to a shortage of staff and resources.” State statute 414.033 stipulates annexation should be 120 acres or less, with the mining company ultimately  owning more than this, but only seeking to have 119.5 acres annexed at present.

Also listed by Holcim in reasons for annexation is that it would be in the best interest of the property under consideration due to existing levels of government services, including “water, sewer, fire protection, law enforcement, street repair and land use approvals,” with these being inadequate for the property. The petition from Holcim states that Cottage Grove is more capable of providing these services “within a reasonable time,” and closes by noting that the petition for annexation comes from one property owner, this being the mining company. The petition is signed by Tom Schmit, Aggregates General Manager for Holcim MWR.

The City of Cottage Grove has not made indication on how it might approach the petition scheduled for a public hearing on April 19, while the Township is another matter.

Stating that the current petition from Holcim comes after the mining company was denied permits for two “unreasonable” variance requests that included mining up to residential property lines as opposed to the current setbacks, Town Supervisor Dan Ohmann laid out township resources as they exist.

In the first place, Ohmann says the township partners with the Washington County Sheriff’s Office for “great public safety,” also using the SHC consultant firm for its mining permits, operations, and plans in order to have well equipped staff for mine related matters. In addition, the township has County Road 75, which Ohmann said was less than five years old and used regularly by the mining company. With 120 residences in the township and a petition with 100 signatures opposing acceptance by Cottage Grove of the annexation request from Holcim, Ohmann closed out with a request.

“The Township is asking Cottage Grove to continue to be great neighbors by staying neighbors,” he said. “We have the resources and the ability to govern. Please respect Democracy and allow us to govern the people and businesses of Grey Cloud Island. This wouldn’t mean much to Cottage Grove but it means the world to our residents and the history of our great Township!”

With that in mind, the public hearing for annexation is April 19 at 7 p.m., at Cottage Grove City Hall.

Attempts to reach Holcim MWR for comment were unsuccessful at press time.