October 5, 2018 at 4:04 p.m.
Forestry committee takes direction on open meetings law regarding trip to Eagle Mine
Fugle: 'You ought to discuss the Packers, the Badgers, the Brewers and the weather'
Forestry committee takes direction on open meetings law regarding trip to Eagle Mine
To prepare for the trip, assistant Oneida County corporation counsel Mike Fugle sat in on the group's Wednesday meeting to offer advice on how to remain compliant with the state's open meetings law throughout the two-day excursion.
The committee is making the making the visit ahead of a November referendum in which voters will voice their opinion on whether or not to permit sulfide-based mining of a (mostly) copper and zinc deposit in the town of Lynne. That deposit sits beneath county forest land.
The committee has taken steps to educate members on mining in the region. Supervisors and members of the public have already taken a field trip to the area of Lynne in question and to a defunct mine in Ladysmith. That education will continue by visiting the currently-operating nickel mine in Marquette and its mill site.
November's referendum is non-binding, however. If a majority of county board supervisors feel their education on the subject is superior to that of the public, they can choose to ignore the results of the vote and permit or deny mining in Oneida County as they see fit.
As for the trip itself, concerns have been raised that supervisors might hold impromptu discussions during the tour, set for Oct. 8 and 9, in violation of the open meetings law.
For his part, Fugle suggested the supervisors avoid any conversation related to mining when not participating in a properly noticed meeting.
"You ought to discuss the Packers, the Badgers, the Brewers and the weather," he said. Fugle also advised committee chairman Jack Sorensen to call a meeting to order as soon as a quorum is present, at the hotel upon arrival for instance, and then recess the meeting as committee members disperse.
The committee will also likely visit a local shop and museum to view historical pieces from the mine. Fugle said a meeting should be called at that point as well. Once the group meets at the mine itself, another meeting should be called and remain in progress all day, he added. Fugle noted the committee does not have to take his advice, but urged the members to err on the side of caution in regards to the open meeting law.
"Can you make me an agenda?" Sorensen asked of Fugle. "All I want to do is to have an agenda in my hand so we don't get ourselves in trouble." This agenda would be posted as any other committee meeting.
Fugle agreed to draft an agenda for the trip so the public will be notified regarding when there would be a quorum of the committee and that a meeting would be called into session at those times.
There was also discussion regarding the number of people from the general public who would be able to travel with the group to the mine site.
Fugle told the committee the county has taken the proper steps to assure a reasonable number of people can travel with the county board supervisors.
In a sidebar, county board supervisor and committee member Alan Van Raalte highlighted some of the differences between the Eagle Mine and the Lynne site, stating the metals mined at the Eagle Mine were nickel and copper, while the Lynne deposit is mostly zinc and lead, both of which sell for much less per pound than the metals found at the Eagle Mine.
He also said a limited life expectancy of a mine is the kind of industry base that would not not be conducive to building a long-term sustainable economy.
"I just don't know how much we are going to learn," Van Raalte stated.
He then went on to ask those county board supervisors who are taking the trip to stop at a site near Iron River to see a mine site that was closed in 1968, stating there were still environmental problems at that mine.
He also provided a link to a virtual tour of the Eagle Mine as well as photos of the closed site near Iron River to the other committee members.
The virtual tour can be accessed via this website: www.youtube.com/watch?v=nyqiL4c9tJo
Beckie Gaskill may be reached via email at [email protected].
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