The following was written by RMS' 7th grade students in late February 2012:
"It is Wednesday, February 22nd, 2012 at 7:00pm. The meeting of Rochester, MN City Council Members has begun. Here at the Government Center in Rochester, MN, City Council President Dennis Hanson and City Council Members Ed Hruska, Michael Wojcik, Bruce Snyder, Mark Bilderback, Randy Staver, and Sandra Means gather approximately every two weeks. Today, they will be discussing a very different topic: whether our school, Rochester Montessori School, can have 12 chickens (all hens), or not for our egg production business.
The RMS Middle School started the variance process when we decided that 3 hens wasn't a good business model, so we agreed to apply for 12 hens. We also decided that we would need a bigger coop to hold the hens. First, we composed and hand-delivered a letter to all of our school's neighbors, which is everyone whose property is directly adjoint to the school, asking for their permission for an increase in the number of hens and a larger coop. We received a letter back describing one person's compromised health. This person's concern helped verify our final decision of the coop's placement. For that reason, we sent out a second letter to each of our neighbors, stating where the coop will be, which is far away from any of their properties. Having gained the support of the majority of our neighbors, we applied for a variance with the Rochester City Council, and provided them all of the original letters received back from RMS' neighbors.
So, we sit waiting for our topic to come up. After a full half hour, our patience is complemented as the City Council President speaks of an amendment for“Rochester City Ordinance 113A – Chickens – for the Rochester Montessori School.” Hey - what's this about? We applied for a variance, not an amendment to the ordinance. As it turns out, variances are only for land use ordinances to which this situation does not apply, so instead an amendment must be made. Following quick discussion involving the educational benefits of hens and in relation to our RMS Middle School business, the council voted 7-0 in favor of the amendment! So, on top of having our request approved, we have changed a city ordinance. Now any educational premises in Rochester, Minnesota can have up to 12 hens! The ordinance will be officially amended during the first April 2012 Rochester City Council meeting (Monday, April 16th, 2012)."
