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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1981 10-14 Suburbs reject sewer rate compromise THE REVIEW VOLUME 20, NUMBER 23 Publication #328680 Maplewood, Minnesota " Single Copy 30` WED., OCT. 14, 1981 ✓' 4% ,;a p --_ Suburbs rsewer ratecompromise By JONATHON CLYDE GLASS ting mayor of Roseville at an Oct. 7 therefore, has to be treated before en- million gallons in 1982.That means a bill action, noting the compromise "sheds a of a legal challenge to the sewer charges. Staff Writer meeting of the suburban officials.She and tering the Mississippi River, he ex- of roughly $131,000 for Maplewood; new light on the proceedings and gives us Oakdale City Manager Craig Mattson other suburban leaders have criticized plained. Prior to this year, St. Paul ac- $39,000 for Oakdale;$34,000 for Roseville; (suburban cities) nine months to really said the Oakdale City Council hoped for a Despite several negotiating sessions the Metropolitan Council for agreeing in cepted the full cost for the lake overflow, $12,000 for Little Canada and $8,000 for re-evaluate the new actions of the permanent resolution to the problem, last week, Maplewood, North St. Paul, February to charge the suburbs anything while at the same time it billed the North St. Paul. Metropolitan Council." rather than accepting ongoing treatment Oakdale and five other suburban cities at all for the treatment of the clean water suburbs for the treatment of their actual The Metropolitan Council's Oct. 8 charges.That city council would go along to square off with St. Paul and that overflows Phalen,McCarron's,Como sewage, he continued. The new formula proposed by the decision culminated a week of seemingly with the recommendation of the attorney are ready 9 g council is good for one year. In the fruitless negotiations between St. Paul on the advisability of taking the case to the Metropolitan Council on the issue of and Beaver Lakes and is then treated at The volume of water and money in- meantime, the suburbs, St. Paul and and the suburbs. the courts, he added. water treatment fees. Several hundred the Metropolitan Waste Control Corn- volved is substantial.Accordingto MWCC Metropolitan Council are to form two thousand dollars peryear are at stake in Maplewood Mayor John Greavu "I just got that feeling, I don't think mission's (MWCC) plant at Pig's Eye measurements, the suburbs responsible committees—one composed of technical we'll be able to compromise," Greavu the dispute over St. Paul's ability to Lake on the Mississippi River. for the largest ngportion of the annual experts and the other of policy-makers— Sandberg, Franke and other suburban. 5 said. p the water which overflows area lakes charge the suburban cities for and The suburbs affected are: Maplewood, overflow are Maplewood with 398 million to work out a permanent solution to the With St. Paul yors had all Mayorfor Geor minutes Latimer to "I usually favor a compromise, but I enters St.Paul's sewer system on its way Roseville, Oakdale, Little Canada, North gallons, Oakdale with 118 million and dispute. try to work out a compromise.Despite the just don't see it in this case," said to the Mississippi River. St.Paul,Falcon Heights,Vadnais Heights Roseville with 102 million. Attorney John Bannigan, representing agreement that the session would be Maplewood Councilman Gary Bastian. and White Bear Lake. The other suburbs are responsible for the suburbs before the Metropolitan restricted to the mayors alone, Latimer His sentiments were shared by other On Oct. 8, the Metropolitan Council In the last few decades, the suburbs smaller amounts: Little Canada for 37 Council,has continued to voice his clients' came with his engineers and lawyers, Maplewood Council members. voted to modify its decision earlier this have all gone to the expense_of con- million gallons; White Bear Lake for 34 unwillingness to pay any portion of the according to Greavu and Sandberg. Regardless of whether they initiate year, reducing from 82 to 50 percent the structing completely separate sanitary million;North St.Paul for 23 million;and cost.He will confer with the eight cities to Latimer's action further irritated the court proceedings against St. Paul, the portion of the sewer charge to be paid by sewage and storm water sewers,while St. both Falcon Heights and Vadnais Heights decide if they can go along with the 50-50 other mayors, Sandberg added. suburbs still have to collect the sewer the suburbs in 1982. That decision, Paul has retained its sewer system that for 16 million. plan for one year,or if they want to take charges for 1982 and hold them until the however, does not satisfy the eightmixes storm water and sanitary sewage, their case to court or binding arbitration, On Oct. 7, all eight suburbs were court case is settled, Evans said, suburbs, which are pondering whether toaccording to Maplewood City Manager The Metropolitan Council's Oct. 8 he told the Review. represented at a meeting in Maplewood. Bannigan noted the suburbs could fight the decision in court. - decision to revise the percentages and Following the lead of Maplewood, which comply with the 1982 billing requirements Barry Evans. Even though the suburbs' distribute the costs on a 50-50 basis bet- North St. Paul Mayor Bill Sandberg faces the greatest potential expense, they and still reserve their right to take the "It's all political shenanigans,as far as lake overflow is clean, once it enters St. ween St. Paul and the suburbs requires said he was "surprised but not disap- unanimously agreed to reject further case to court if negotiations continue to I'm concerned," said Polly Franke, ac- Paul it is mixed with raw sewage and, each suburb to pay more than $330 per pointed" by the Metropolitan Council's negotiations and explore the possibilities prove fruitless.