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City Council Minutes 07-30-1979 --I . MINUTES SPECIAL MEETING - MONTICELLO CITY COUNCIL July 30, 1979 ~ 7:30 P.M. ! Members Present: Arve Grimsmo, Dan Blonigen, Fran Fair, Ken Maus, Phil White. Members Absent: None Meeting taped. 1. Review of the Industrial Cost Reco~ery and User Charges on Monticello's Wastewater Treatment Plant. Mr. John Badalich, of Orr-Schelen-Mayeron & Associates, reviewed with the City Council the industrial cost recovery and user charge systems as they relate to the City's current step III application for updating its Wastewater Treatment Plant. . According to the report, a major industrial user of the Wastewater Treat- ment Plant, such as wrightco Products, Inc., would have to make an annual payment based on their sewage contributed to the plant. Mr. Badalich indicated that Wrightco Products' annual payment could vary from approxi- mately $6,000 up to $10,000, based on current sampling done at the plant. In addition, the engineer estimated that future increased flow capacities from wrightco Products during the life of the City's treatment plant could require an annual payment of up to $24,000 from wrightco Products. It was noted by Mr. Badalich that even if Wrightco increased their volume but improved their quality of the effluent, their annual charge could be much less than this. In addition to the industrial cost recovery charge, wrightco Products would be charged a user charge similar to every user of the sewer system in Monticello. Based on the figures used during sampling processes of Wrightco Products sewage, this user charge could range from $16,000 to up to $29,000 per year. Again, it was noted that these are engineers estimates based on the possible increased flows over the life of the plant. As part of the Step III grant process, Mr. Badalich indicated that all significant industrial contributors to the sewage treatment plant must sign a letter of intent indicating that'the industrial user will pay their fair share of the industrial cost recovery charges. . Mr. Robert Brown, engineer hired by wrightco Products, indicated that he felt Wrightco Products now contributes less than 10% of the effluent capacity of the new treatment plant. Therefore, he felt that wrightco products would not have to sign a letter of intent since they do not contribute more than 10%. Mr. Brown also indicated that additional tests have been performed which indicate less effluent being discharged into the system than earlier samples taken approximately a year ago. wrightco Products plans to do additional pretreatment of their sewage in the future to lower even more their effluent levels into the treatment q . . . COUNCIL MINUTES - SPECIAL MTG. 7/30/79 plant. In addition, Mr. Brown felt that Wrightco Products should be classi- fied as a major industrial user, but not a significant industrial user. ^lthough classifying Wrightco Products as a major industrial user rather than a significant industrial user would not affect the amount of the industrial cost recovery charge that they would have to pay, it would eliminate Wrightco Products from a letter of intent required by the EPA. After reviewing the four samples taken at the wrightco Products plant between May 1977 and September 1978, it was determined that only one sampling period had BOD levels and suspended solids levels over the guide- lines that would establish Wrightco Products as a significant industrial user requiring a letter of intent. It was therefore determined that Wrightco Products should not be classified as a significant contributor by the Council and that a letter of intent would not be submitted by Wrightco Products. Mr. Badalich indicated that a letter will be written to the EPA informing them that, in their opinion, Wrightco Products is not a significant contributor according to the recent tests submitted from the company. In addition, Mr. Badalich indicated that a model ordinance for the industrial cost recovery and user charge system will be prepared by his firm for Council review in the near future. 2. Review of Library Situation. City Council members discussed the possibility of the City of Monticello taking over the present public library system should the School District be released from its commitment. Currently, the Monticello School District is considering selling the Oakwood School Building which now houses the public library, and a recent Attorney Generalis opinion has indicated that the School District would have to get a 2/31s majority vote in a referendum to abandon the public library facility. Council members discussed whether the City should take over a library in the future if the School District is able to abandon the present facility, and whether or not the City should remain with the Great River Regional Library system in the future. Majority of the council members felt that the City should probably take over the library system in the future, but indicated that areas of compensation between the School District and the City of Monticello will still have to be resolved. It was also the consensus of the Council mem- bers that a decision will have to be reached before the School Board has a referendum to enable the citizens to ~now whether or not the City will be responsible for a new library before they are asked to vote on the issue. No action was taken by the City Council other than to schedule a meeting with the School Board Officials on Thursday, August 16, 1979 at 8:00 P.M. to further review the library situation. - 2 - q COUNCIL MINUTES - SPECIAL MTG. 7/30/79 . 3. Review of Preliminary Figures on the 1977-3 Street Improvement Project Assessment Procedures. John Badalich, City Engineer, reviewed with the Council the proposed 1977-3 Improvement Project Assessment Rolls and asked for clarification on the assessment policy for certain areas of the project. The items reviewed were as follows: A. For all lots facing and abutting Broadway Street, it was determined that if these parcels received driveway accesses off of side streets, they would be assessed for the driveway approaches only, with no front-footage assessments. B. The storm sewer assessment boundary area will be the same as determined at the Public Hearing originally, even though some property may not be directly served with storm sewer facilities in front of their property. C. A street assessment will be calculated for the Ridgemont Apartment complex even though the improvements terminate at the property line. D. Assessments will be calculated for property along Walnut Street and Maple Street owned by the Burlington Northern Railroad. ,--. In addition, corner lots abutting two (2) streets will receive an assessment based on the shortest footage, in this case 66'. Owners of two (2) regular lots would be based on 132'. Vacant lots that can be subdivided in the future will have assessments based on the shortest side of the lot dimensions, even if the shortest side does not actually abutt the street. E. Property that have had previously installed curb and gutter but which had to be removed as part of the street project will be assessed the same as any other property in Monticello. F. City Property will not be assessed as part of the street project as these amounts cannot be used in determining the 20% of the project cost to be assessed. G. Assessments will be figured for the 64 individual water services and one sewer service that was installed during the project to vacant lots, but these assessments will be defe~red and not be payable unless con- struction is commenced on these lots. H. Parcels receiving sewer and water services along with new streets and curb and gutter as part of the 1977-3 project will be assessed at the unit prices determined an the 1977-1 project plus 15%. . - 3 - 1 COUNCIL MINUTES - SPECIAL MTG. 7/30/79 . I. Property owners recelVlng a storm sewer assessment under the 1977-3 project will be given credit for any storm sewer assessment they were charged with under the 1971 storm sewer project. After discussion on the above issues, Mr. Badalich was instructed to prepare a preliminary assessment roll for review by the Council. Hearing no other business, the meeting was adjourned. .' f> / .1'" '//.:t-<':4<::.~z~~,<~ic> Richard Wolfst,eller Administrative Assistant RW/ns ,-,-. . - 4 - 9