CHASKA
March 25: Three new people have been elected to the Jonathan Association board, the organization announced. The winners are Jacqueline Bensman, Katie Tierney and Sandra Rossol.
The three ran as a bloc during the homeowner association's recent mail-in elections. In the ongoing fight over whether the association should be disbanded, they are pro-association.
HENNEPIN COUNTY
April 1: The County Board approved a quarter-cent sales tax for transit improvement, joining a joint powers board that will finance rail lines and new busways in Hennepin, Ramsey, Anoka, Dakota and Washington counties. An amendment to that action also reinforced priorities for transit corridors in Hennepin County.
Topping the list was the Central Corridor, a light-rail line running between the downtowns of Minneapolis and St. Paul. Second was the Southwest Corridor, a proposed light-rail line running from Minneapolis to Eden Prairie. Third was the Bottineau Corridor, which would run either bus rapid transit or light rail from Minneapolis through Robbinsdale, Crystal, Osseo, Brooklyn Park, Maple Grove and possibly Dayton, Rogers and Hassan Township.
The amendment was offered by Commissioner Mike Opat, who said he wanted his constituents to know what the county's priorities are and how they might benefit from the new tax.
The board also passed an Opat amendment that would reduce planned 2009 property tax levies that support the operating costs of the Hiawatha light-rail line and Northstar commuter rail line from about $18 million to about $7 million. The new transit sales tax will fund the rest of that cost.
ORONO
March 24: The City Council accepted City Administrator Ron Moorse's resignation, effective May 15. Moorse has been with the city for 16 years. He's leaving, according to a memo, "to pursue other opportunities" in his field.
ROGERS
March 25: The City Council approved a process to find and hire a new police chief. Former police chief Keith Oldfather resigned last month.
