City council will continue to study proposed frac sand mining resolution

The Decorah City Council will ask Winneshiek County officials to come speak to the city council about the frac sand mining issue.

Supervisor Dean Thompson and other county officials will be invited to a future city committee meeting to explain how the county board is researching the frac sand mining issue.

The invitation is being issued after Decorah resident and mayoral candidate Jim McIntosh asked the city council to go on record in opposition to frac sand mining.  While city council member Rachel Vagts supported such a step, saying "There's a lot of interest and concern around this issue," other city council members said they were not ready to vote on the issue.  City council member Gary Rustad asked, "Why are we diving into something we're not affected by?"  He suggested the city council invite a neutral party to come talk with city council members--and Thompson was suggested as someone who could explain the issues.