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A new power sports business is going to be built on the west side of I-35 in Stacy, near the Kwik Trip.  Acknowledging this is under an ambitious schedule, proposer Nick Simpson says if all goes according to plan the Polaris service and sales could move out of Simpson’s hardware store and into the stand alone site by fall 2025.  Site work will get underway to prep the land soon.  

Polaris and Stacy Hardware have had a relationship for   decades and as the relatively new owner of the landmark hardware store, Simpson said he lacks space to carry the Polaris inventory he needs.  The motorsports business will be moved to the new building and the hardware store remains with hardware operations and items intact.  The Stacy City Council approved this at a meeting in February.

The Chisago County Board was required to hold a public hearing when asked to provide a tax abatement plan to facilitate the project.  This entails recapturing $16,000 to help reimburse project expenses over five years.     The property tax is paid to the county but the developer/owner gets some of the revenue redirected back as a subsidy to the project budget.

No members of the public commented at last week’s hearing.  The abatement was approved 5-0 with Commissioner Jim Swenson participating remotely.

In other matters:

~ The Board was reminded to help  promote the seasonal employment openings at the county.  Watercraft inspectors, park attendants, maintenance teams and more offer great summer jobs for workers 16 and older.  (Watercraft inspectors need to be 18 at least.)  See the Chisago County website for application information.

~ A number of expenditures got the go-ahead having already been reviewed in depth at the budget and finance meetings.  The State of MN distributed millions in “public safety funding” using surplus last year,  and the county is spending some of this on acquiring license plate readers (8) and funding other sheriff’s personnel needs,  and a placeholder for $600,000 as an allocation towards a new command vehicle for crisis operations.

~ The Wyoming Giese Memorial Library has been selected as a pilot site for unlimited access hours.  The commissioners approved the request from the East Central Regional Library officials to implement the card code security and other measures to extend unstaffed library hours.

~ Pole buildings at a couple parks are being re-sided replacing their metal panels and one will be heated for more use.

 

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