(CIRCLE PINES) -The city of Circle Pines wants a district court judge to review the Anoka County Board of Commissioners’ appointment of a manager to the Rice Creek Watershed District’s Board of Managers.
Earlier this year, city managers Patrick Antonen of Circle Pines and Mark Statz of Centerville spoke to the county board about their list of candidates to fill an open spot on the watershed board.
The county board decided then to let the incoming District Six board member help decide, since his or her district includes these communities.
Once Jeff Reinert won the seat, he began working with the watershed to refine its policies and procedures. Then, in May, the county board decided to re-appoint twelve-year veteran Board of Managers member Patricia Preinert, a vote that surprised Reinert. He said he felt the board was not giving him sufficient time to work on issues that the cities had identified with the watershed, but County Commission Chair Scott Schulte said he was tired of delaying the vote any longer.
City of Circle Pines leaders now want a judge to see if the county followed state statute or not, because the county did not select a candidate from the list the cities presented.
The city hopes to have a meeting with a judge in July.
State law allows cities to submit a list of names to the county.
Preinert was not on the list Circle Pines submitted.
