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05-23-2013 Tri-City Council MinutesTri -City Council Meeting Minutes Thursday, May 23, 2013 CALL TO ORDER Pursuant to due call and notice given in the manner prescribed by Section 3.01 of the City Charter, the Tri -City Council meeting was held at 6:32 p.m. on Thursday, May 23, 2013 in the Council Chambers at the City of New Hope City Hall, 4401 Xylon Avenue North in New Hope, Minnesota. New Hope Mayor Kathi Hemken opened the meeting with introductions and turned the meeting over to Bonnie Morey, meeting facilitator. ATTENDANCE Golden Valley Recording Secretary Pat Schutrop recorded the attendance as follows: CRYSTAL COUNCIL: Jim Adams, Mayor Laura Libby, Council Member Julie Deshler, Council Member Joe Selton, Council Member Mark Hoffmann, Council Member John Budziszewski, Council Member Casey Peak, Council Member CRYSTAL STAFF: Anne Norris, City Manager Tom Mathisen, Director of Public Works Randy Kloepper, Water Superintendent NEW HOPE COUNCIL: NEW HOPE STAFF Kathi Hemken, Mayor John Elder, Council Member Eric Lammle, Council Member Dan Stauner, Council Member Andy Hoffe, Council Member Kirk McDonald, City Manager Guy Johnson, Director of Public Works Bernie Weber, Utilities Supervisor GOLDEN VALLEY COUNCIL: Shep Harris, Mayor DeDe Scanlon, Council Member Paula Pentel, Council Member Steve Schmidgall, Council Member Joanie Clausen, Council Member GOLDEN VALLEY STAFF: Tom Burt, City Manager Jeannine Clancy, Director of Public Works Sue Virnig, Finance Director Dave Lemke, Utilities Supervisor Pat Schutrop, Recording Secretary OTHERS: Bernie Bullert, Minneapolis Director, Water Treatment and Distribution Services Glen Gerads, Assistant Director, Minneapolis Water Treatment and Distribution Services Bonnie Morey, SEH, Inc., Facilitator Brian LeMon, Barr Engineering Company Tri -City Council Meeting Minutes May 23, 2013 Page 2 AGENDA The City Councils and staff of Crystal, Golden Valley, and New Hope heard a presentation and discussed the following: 1. Update on the Feasibility of Backup Water Supply a. Discuss and Develop Consensus on Direction 2. DNR Drought Monitoring Information Bonnie Morey summarized the direction given by the City Councils at the May 7, 2012 Tri - City Council meeting, reviewed the agenda and the expected outcome for city councils to consider acting on the proposed resolution accepting emergency water supply preliminary design and feasibility study; directing staff to proceed with implementation. A backup water supply is required as part of the Joint Water Commission's (JWC) comprehensive plan. Brian LeMon from Barr Engineering Co. presented a review of their findings on potential risks that could affect delivery of water from Minneapolis, an update on the emergency supply work since the May 7, 2012 Tri -City Council meeting, and direction for next steps on the emergency supply plan. Prior to 2012, the JWC technical advisory committee (TAC) was working out the regulatory requirements to allow use of the existing New Hope well. Barr also performed a water interaction study to determine impacts of adding unsoftened groundwater to the current softened Minneapolis water system. In 2012, the Tri -City Councils directed Barr Engineering Co. to prepare a feasibility study for an emergency water supply by building three wells and activating the New Hope well. Barr estimates the cost to be $4.4 to $4.7 million for development of the emergency water supply. The current plan includes complete preparation of the New Hope well for emergency use. It assumes the new wells will be located in the Prairie du Chien aquifer. Council members expressed concern about the drawdown from the wells and how that will affect private well usage. LeMon did not think the drawdown from the wells would substantially affect the private well users. However, if the emergency supply should dry up any private wells, the JWC is regulated under an appropriation permit and the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) would work with the JWC to narrow down the identity of the well(s) and likely ask the JWC to mitigate the impact of the wells. LeMon discussed the risks to residents and businesses if the current supply is interrupted. JWC purchases its water from Minneapolis and Minneapolis currently does not have a backup water supply, but is in the planning stages now for an alternative supply. Barr staff reviewed the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency's contaminants database and identified two contamination plumes near the proposed wells; Joslyn Manufacturing and Supply and Honeywell plume in Golden Valley. However, it was determined that the risk is minimal to the area where the wells will potentially be drilled. Tom Mathisen discussed the DNR's drought monitoring information that supports the importance for communities to have a backup water supply plan in place. He discussed his past participation with the Community Water Suppliers and the bureaucratic delays that can occur if an emergency situation should arise. Tri -City Council Meeting Minutes May 23, 2013 Page 3 Staff from the three cities provided input in the location of the alternatives. The three emergency supply well sites selected are capable of delivering 5.5 to 6.8 mgd to the JWC water system when combined with the New Hope well. All sites investigated are equal in proximity to the reservoir, anticipated to meet Minnesota Well Code requirements and setbacks, and close in cost. Bernie Bullert stated Minneapolis supports the JWC having its own backup water supply and updated the councils on the Minneapolis backup water supply process. Minneapolis did conduct a preliminary study and found that drilling wells is feasible. The study was presented to the Public Works Committee for discussion and support. The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board was approached to help identify property where the wells could be drilled. The study was presented to the Capital Committee in April and the first phase is proposed in the 2014 budget. Cost estimates will not be determined until the well sites are identified. Bullert estimated by August or September he would know how the process is moving. He estimates a minimum of 10 years before approval. Funding sources are being investigated by Minneapolis through discussions with State Legislature and the Corps of Engineers. Minneapolis intends to drill enough wells to supply water to all of its customers. Financing options for the JWC wells were not discussed in detail. It may be possible to fund the wells through bonding. The JWC CIP budget includes $450,000 annually over the next five years to move ahead for the wells. If cities can finance the program through bonding over 10 to 15 years, payments may be funded from the JWC CIP budget at an amount lower than currently budgeted. After a 10 -minute caucus, the following outcomes were reported for each city: • New Hope is in favor of the project and will consider the resolution at the next City Council meeting. Mayor Hemken proposed language changes to the resolution to include a finance plan. • Crystal is in favor of the project and will consider the resolution at its next council meeting. Crystal also discussed that individual cities consider having their own finance plan. • Golden Valley is in favor of the project and working with the other two cities in developing a finance plan. The JWC will work on the wording of the resolution and redistribute to the cities. The three cities will adopt the resolution before the three city councils meet again, tentatively, in the fall of 2013. OTHER BUSINESS Mayor Harris extended appreciation to all the communities for their involvement in the Memorial Day event that went very well. ADJOURNMENT Mayor Hemken adjourned the meeting at 7:55 p.m. Respectfully submitted: n�—e— L�a2 Pal Schutrop, Recording Se retary