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Council drops lawsuit with state LITTLE FALLS CITY COUNCIL Staff Writer LITTLE FALLS - The Little Falls City Council on Monday voted unanimously to withdraw a lawsuit with the state regarding Linden Hill.
The city filed the lawsuit in July over legislation that restricts the city from selling or leasing four of its properties listed on the National Register of Historic Places, which includes the two mansions on Linden Hill. In the lawsuit, the city stated that the legislation is unconstitutional since it is a special law that deals only with Little Falls.
The council also unanimously passed a resolution to request its legislators, Sen. Paul Koering, R-Fort Ripley, and Rep. Al Doty, DFL-Royalton, to draft a bill to repeal the legislation. If no new legislation is drafted, the city has a right to file the lawsuit a second time.
Little Falls City Administrator Richard Carlson said both legislators have indicated that they would sponsor such legislation if the city council passed a resolution.
In other business relating to Linden Hill, the council dissolved the Musser/Weyerhaeuser Board and agreed to form a task force to review and make recommendations on the uses of Linden Hill.
Little Falls Mayor Cathy VanRisseghem said the original board members already have asked to be on the task force.
The city gained ownership of the mansions in 1995, and the property became the Linden Hill Conference and Retreat Center. The homes were built in 1898 for young lumber barons Richard "Drew" Musser and Charles A. Weyerhaeuser.
Laura Jane Musser was the last occupant and wanted the homes to be used for a public purpose. The homes came with a $1 million trust fund, which is at $559,000. The mansions closed at the end of 2005.
Linden Hill includes the Musser and Weyerhaeuser mansions on 10 acres along the Mississippi River, a caretaker's home, a garage/stable, a covered patio and a small schoolhouse and playhouse.
JENNIFER STOCKINGER can be reached at jennifer.stockinger@brainerddispatch.com or 855-5851.
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