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11a. SW Coalition of Communities CITY OF I icIL \ CHANHASSEN \ I AL.1 3- 690 COULTER DRIVE • P.O. BOX 147 • CHANHASSEN, MINNESOTA 55317_.,, `` + (612) 937-1900 MEMORANDUM TO: Don Ashworth, City Manager g` - FROM: Barbara Dacy, City Planner ikos 1,41c4 DATE: September 8 , 1988 ' SUBJ: Southwest Coalition of Communities Update This is to brief the Council on the issues currently facing the ' Southwest Communities Coalition as well as future issues that will occur in 1989 . 1 . Transportation Plan. The Metropolitan Council is finishing its review of the Transportation Policy Plan. John Boland will be providing the stafif planners with an update at an upcoming meeting on September 15 , 1988 . 2 . At our recent staff meeting with Mr. Boland on August 18, 1988, (Marcie Waritz and Dirk Devries were also present) press releases were distributed regarding the Metropolitan 1 Waste Control Commission action on its 1989 budget. Important in the Commission' s budget approval was that a $5 million dollar cut was made in the allocation for the Blue ' Lake Wastewater Treatment Plant. Initial reaction from MWCC staff was that it "will not delay necessary expansions for the plants" nor will it "affect the plant' s ability to meet water quality standards" . The planner' s group has scheduled 1 a meeting with the MWCC representative for this area, Jo Ellen Herr, Thursday, September 15th, to discuss the MWCC 1989 budget as it relates to the Blue Lake Treatment plant. 3 . Council representatives , Waritz and Devries , briefed the group at its last meeting regarding future issues to be con- sidered by the Council. Two issues would necessitate review by the Southwest Communities Coalition: the "Major River Crossing Task Force Report" and the Solid Waste Policy Plan which will be amended in 1989 . The upcoming issues identified in item #3 will warrant continuing review by the coalition. In the past, participating communities have contributed toward Boland' s contract of $1,000 per month. By the end of this year, it is hoped that the planners group will have a better idea as to the extent of the two issues identified 1 1 { . 1 Mr. Don Ashworth September 8 , 1988 II Page 2 in item #3 to look at a recommendation for continuation of II Boland' s contract. Please note, however, that the 1989 budget does reserve monies for Chanhassen' s participation ( $2,000) in the contract. 1 ATTACHMENTS 1 . Press release from MWCC dated August 3 , 1988 . 1 1 1 I 1 1 1 1 1 1 I r 1 1 1 a I . Metropolitan Waste Control Commission Mears Park Centre, 230 East Fifth Street, St. Paul, Minnesota 55101 612 222-8423 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Deborah Ely ' (612) 229-2109 ' MWCC APPROVES 1989 BUDGET ST. PAUL, August 3, 1988 -- The Metropolitan Waste Control Commission (MWCC) Tuesday approved an operating budget of $110 . 5 million (a $2 million increase over the 1988 budget) , and capital budget appropriations of $123 .2 million. After rejecting proposed budgets at high expenditure levels, the MWCC' s commissioners unanimously approved the two budgets which include an innovative capital expenditure plan designed ' to control spending. The plan calls for deferred and reduced spending in areas of treatment plant and interceptor sewer construction. (Interceptor sewers are shared by two or more communities and carry sewage from the communities to MWCC' s plants for ter..eatment t . ) "Communities should be pleased with this plan, " said MWCC' s Director of Engineering, Ed DeLaForest. "We' ve trimmed an ' estimated $39 million from capital budget spending over the next three years without any major impacts to our users; -more- . 1 MWCC APPROVES 1989 BUDGET. . . /2 1 we' ve avoided potential restrictions on community growth; the 1 ability to meet effluent (treated wastewater) standards has not been affected; and we' re going ahead with projects that if otherwise delayed would have allowed bypasses of untreated 1 sewage into area lakes and rivers. " MWCC commissioners directed finance and engineering experts at the commission to outline a plan that would considerably trim construction costs . Among other projects, costs were 1 cut from the Blue Lake Wastewater Treatment Plant, located in Shakopee; the Seneca Wastewater Treatment Plant, located in Eagan; and the Empire Wastewater Treatment Plant, located in Farmington. This reduced spending, however, will not delay necessary expansions for the plants, and it will not affect the plants' ability to meet water quality standards . 1 -The capital expenditure plan also calls for a delay in construction of phase II of the Minneapolis East Interceptor 1 (MEI) Project, a $26-million project that, when completed, will add capacity to the current system of sewers and replace 1 a 100-year-old sewer. -more- 1 1 . 1 I . ' MWCC APPROVES 1989 BUDGET. . ./3 The MEI Project had been scheduled for completion in 1990; ' that date has now been changed to 1992 . DeLaForest said there is no major impact associated with the delay to metro ' area communities. Projects that are unaffected by the approved budget, and ' therefore remain on schedule, are: the Orono Interceptor ' Improvements project; the Stillwater Wastewater Treatment Plant expansion; and the Plymouth and Blaine Interceptor Sewer projects. ' The Metropolitan Waste Control Commission was established by ' the Minnesota Legislature to efficiently collect and treat the wastewater of the Twin Cities metropolitan area, while ' preserving and protecting the environment . The MWCC serves ' 105 communities in seven counties and treats more than 275 million gallons of zewayc p.r•-daY. -0- 1 I 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1