Shouting match at Pingree Grove meeting

A Pingree Grove village board meeting on a controversial issue Monday night devolved into a shouting match between the village president, a pair of trustees and audience members.

The board was due to vote on whether it should pose a referendum question to voters, asking whether residents wanted to eliminate a pair of special service area taxes within the Cambridge Lakes South subdivision that residents there pay.

Officials were looking at two options that have been discussed on and off for years.

The first would seek a tax-rate increase by adding 31.27 cents to the general tax rate of 12.12 cents, for a total rate of 43.39 cents per $100 of assessed value, which everyone in town would pay. Money generated from the tax - $397,202.40 - would pay for road maintenance in Cambridge Lakes South.

Option Two involved creating a new 31.27-cent police protection tax for all residents that would generate $397,202 in the first year. Money from the tax would fund the police department, but officials would eliminate both special area taxes. Rather than Cambridge Lakes South residents paying a separate tax for snow removal, mowing and other services, the village would pull money from the general fund to cover those expenses.

Some welcomed the measures, saying it wasn't fair for subdivision dwellers to foot the entire bill for its road maintenance. But several non-subdivision residents said they shouldn't be responsible for financing something exclusive to Cambridge Lakes South.

Both options dissolved, due to a lack of a second on the board's part. That meant trustees couldn't discuss or vote on adding either one to the ballot.

That infuriated Village President Wyman "Clint" Carey.

"I think we owe it to the people here to discuss it," Carey said, referring to the packed room. "Now we're not moving forward with this? Is that how it is?"

Trustee Greg Marston said the board already had plenty of time to debate the issues. "For six months, we had thorough discussion on this... I don't understand what part of that you don't understand."

As one person booed the board, resident Ryan Hallgren interrupted, saying, "What's going on here, man?" and urging trustees to "man up" and represent the town.

Carey yelled at him to be professional and trustee Steve Wiedmeyer told Carey that he had not been professional all night.

The sparring stopped after resident Bernie Thomas told trustees to "stop embarrassing yourselves" and to get back to village business.