St. Michael Could Get Double Representation at County

The Wright County Commission met after its regular Tuesday morning meeting yesterday as a "committee of the whole" to discuss the county's redistricting plans.

Exactly 10 proposals have been pitched by Wright County Auditor Bob Hivaala, with about six of them have distinct difference. Most variances impact the St. Michael and Otsego areas, two of the fastest growing areas in the state since the 2000 Census, much less Wright County as a whole.

All of those proposals are attached to this article.

As a result all of the plans considered show St. Michael being split in two among the new county precincts. In most plans, St. Michael's eastern precinct (1B, which votes at St. Michael-Albertville Middle School East) would be teamed with Albertville and Otsego to create a commissioner district.

In the west, St. Michael Precinct 1A, which includes the older portions of the city and all growth to the west of County Highway 19, there is more flexibility.

Some of the county plans show western St. Michael teaming with Buffalo north of Highway 55. That area would also include the northern part of Buffalo Township.

In other scenarios, St. Michael 1A would team with Hanover and Rockford to create a new commisioner district at the county level.

At its regular meeting back on April 10, the passed a resolution showing it favored plans that teamed the communities of St. Michael and Hanover (with Rockford) in a new district.

"We do most of our cooperative work with the City of Hanover, so to have that relationship reflected at the county level would be to our benefit," said Administrator Bob Derus.

The council agreed.

"It's not that we can't work with Buffalo, it's that we don't as often as we would with Hanover on our projects," said member Joe Marx.

The county will see wholesale changes across the board.

St. Michael's longtime representative, Elmer Eichelberg, is retiring from the commission. That means the STMA area will have a completely new face in Buffalo.

In the south, the plans show Jack Russek and Dick Mattson, two other longtime commissioners, now living in the same district.

"I would imagine they'll have a conversation and see which one of them wants to continue going," said Sheriff Joe Hagerty, who is following the redistricting closely because he's a "politics nut. It's really interesting stuff. And this only happens every 10 years."

Newcomer Rose Thelen (elected in 2008) could end up in the same district as Pat Sawatzke over in the northeast corner of the county as well. Sawatzke has represented the Monticello area for nearly a decade.

All redistricting plans must be finalized by May 1.