Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes i� ��tJV� �ri°t � y � ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... ���� �ri e ar�d PC�� t MINUTES COTTAGE GROVE CITY COUNCIL July 19, 2017 COUNCIL CHAMBER 12800 RAVINE PARKWAY SOUTH SPECIAL MEETING - 6:00 P.M. - ST. CROIX CONFERENCE ROOM 1. CALL TO ORDER Mayor Bailey called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m. 2. ROLL CALL The following were present: Mayor Myron Bailey, Council Member Steve Dennis, Council Member Wayne Johnson, Council Member La Rae Mills, and Council Member Dave Thiede. Also present were: Charlene Stevens, City Administrator; Korine Land, City Attorney- LeVander, Gillen & Miller, PA; Ryan Burfeind, Assistant City Engineer; Les Burshten, Public Works Director; Joe Fischbach/HR Manager/City Clerk; Jennifer Levitt, Community Development Director/City Engineer; Sharon Madsen, Communications Coordinator; Craig Woolery, Director of Public Safety; Pete Koerner, Police Captain; Harry Taylor, Public Works Supervisor; Rick Alt Utilities Working Foreman. 3. AGENDA ITEM A. Water System Update Staff Recommendation: Hold a workshop to provide an update on the water system issues and watering ban. The Council will take formal action during the City Council meeting. Information regarding this workshop is included in the Regular Agenda Item. City Engineer Jennifer Levitt gave an update on the watering system and the construction status of Wells 10 and 3. The start up and testing phase on Well 10 will take place next week. The City's required to take a final bacteria test after the actual carbon media is placed, to make sure it doesn't have any bacteria; it's expected that test will be done no later than July 24. However, the results won't be available for 48 hours; we're not allowed to put any of that water out to the public until the bacteria test has passed. The electrician is working on connections to the operating system, which is where there are operational alarms. It's anticipated that will be connected by July 30. There is a security system operating, and security fencing is arriving July 24. CITY OF COTTAGE GROVE • 12800 Ravine Parkway • Cottage Grove, Minnesota 55016 www.cottage-grove.org • 651-458-2800 • Fax 651-458-2897 • Equal Opportunity Employer City Council Meeting Minutes July 19, 2017 Page 2 Water piping is in on Well 3; carbon placement is scheduled for August 7, which will take approximately two days, and then the extensive backwashing and bacteria testing will occur on August 10. The electrician still needs to make final connections with the operating system to monitor any potential problems with the system. City daily water usage has ranged from 2.5 million gallons to 4.3 millions gallons since the watering ban took effect. Total Capacity is the capacity the system can pump when fully operational, with each well pumping at its maximum operation. Firm Capacity is the capacity of the system if the highest-producing, usable well is out of service. Wells can go out of service for many reasons. Firm Capacity is a standard used by cities throughout the Midwest, so it's an operating standard Cottage Grove abides by. She reviewed three Operational Scenarios; the City's been operating in Operational Scenario #1, which gives us a Total Capacity of just over 5 million gallons with a Firm Capacity of 3 million gallons. Well 5 operated for a couple of hours on each day, so that's probably in the catch-up phase where the other wells weren't able to supply the total demand so Well 5 had to help. We've not operated in Operational Scenario #3 because with the watering ban we would not actually be able to achieve pumping below the health-based value (HBV). A change to the Ordinance is being proposed for water conservation. Now, on the 31 st of every month, everyone can water. We currently don't have the capacity for everyone to water on July 31; therefore, we'd like to consider the 31 st just an odd day and only half the City can water on the 31 st. Council Member Johnson suggested that the Ordinance be changed to read that nobody can water on the 31st; otherwise, the odd addresses will be watering two days in a row. Mayor Bailey agreed. Engineer Levitt stated that would be an easy change; City Attorney Kori Land stated she'd make that change to the Ordinance. Mark Rolfs of Stantec stated they looked at three options for lifting the watering ban: 1) Move to odd-even watering and encourage watering only twice a week; 2) Wait until Well 3 is online in mid-August before lifting the watering ban; 3) Leave the current watering ban in place. Mayor Bailey thanked the City staff for their efforts in getting this water situation resolved so quickly. With the ban being lifted July 30, he felt the 31st of each month should be a no watering day and then the odd-even watering days would take effect. Council Member Thiede suggested the ban should be lifted on August 1. Mayor Bailey felt the longer the City waited to lift the ban, the more upset people would be. Council Member Johnson stated residents were used to everybody being able to water on the 31 st; therefore, if the ban was lifted before July 31, it could create a real strain on the system if all residents were watering. Discussion ensued amongst the Council Members regarding what date the ban should be lifted. Engineer Levitt stated it might be a good idea to wait until August 1 to make sure all residents were aware that no one could water on the 31 st of August. Council and staff agreed that August 1 will be the day the watering ban is lifted. City Council Meeting Minutes July 19, 2017 Page 3 Engineer Levitt stated they were proposing to change watering violations from just a $50 fine to a misdemeanor offense. She asked Public Safety Captain Pete Koerner to speak on the enforcement plan. He reviewed resident education and issuance of written warnings; there had not been any subsequent violations for individuals issued written warnings. It was discussed with the City prosecutor, Joe Taylor, regarding it being a mandatory court appearance; Attorney Taylor felt comfortable with all of the media coverage regarding the watering ban, that all residents should be aware. There have been 53 watering complaints received by the Police Department; however, residents sometimes called Public Works instead of Washington County Dispatch. Because it's a misdemeanor offense, it needs to be witnessed. Mayor Bailey asked if someone isn't watering on the correct day if they would be given a written warning and then would receive a citation for any future offenses, or if the first offense would now result in a citation. Captain Koerner asked if Council wanted to provide direction on that; Mayor Bailey felt a written warning should be issued first, and a second violation should result in a citation. Council Member Johnson felt that was fair, particularly for new residents or someone whose automatic sprinkler hadn't been reprogrammed. Captain Koerner felt a written warning for the first violation and a citation for any subsequent violation would work. City Administrator Charlene Stevens stated based upon Council action this evening, the City would issue a written statement that the ban will be lifted as of August 1, and the odd-even watering days will return, with no watering between 12:00 and 4:00 p.m. She reviewed all forms of communication that will be used to notify residents, including social media, a direct mailing to residents (received in homes between July 26 and July 28), and a notation on August 15 water bills. City staff will be given the information to communicate to residents who call with questions. The required Legal Notice will also be published. Questions from Council Members ensued, as follows: How much water the Splash Pad used; if they could put a recirculating system in the Splash Pad; if Code Red notification would be used for lifting the ban; how much it cost the City to send the letter to residents and if it was necessary, give social media; if Cottage Grove businesses would receive a mailing in addition to the residents; if the City would now begin to water playing fields; if someone watered between 12:00 and 4:00 p.m. if they'd receive a citation; if children could only play in sprinklers on odd-even days and not between 12:00 and 4:00 p.m.; and the article in the Pioneer Press regarding reimbursement to Cottage Grove for any costs. Administrator Stevens, Engineer Levitt, and Captain Koerner gave the following answers: The Splash Pad uses about 30,000 gallons per day. As the City's preaching conservation, the hours of the Splash Pad will now be from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. They will look at a recirculating system for the Splash Pad water but with the microfiltration treatment needed, it would be very expensive. They will not use Code Red to announce cessation of the watering ban because it's not an emergency City Council Meeting Minutes July 19, 2017 Page 4 situation, as it had been when the watering ban took effect. The mailing to residents is necessary, as someone will say that they didn't know the new Ordinance regulations regarding odd-even days, watering times, etc., and the cost of that mailing will be recovered from the State of Minnesota. Cottage Grove businesses will also receive a direct mailing from the City. City playing fields will be watered on an odd-even address schedule, twice a week. If someone is watering during the wrong hours, that will be cause for issuance of a warning/citation. Watering exemptions in the Ordinance for odd-even days and time of watering include children playing in a sprinkler, watering flowerbeds, washing vehicles, and water apparatus used by children. Even new sod is not exempt from the new watering restrictions, unless residents have a permit; with the permit, they will be given permission to water new sod only for the first 30 days. Cottage Grove's agreement for reimbursement for the temporary facilities is with the State of Minnesota, the PCA, and not directly with 3M. 4. ADJOURNMENT The meeting was adjourned at 6:46 p.m. Minutes prepared by Judy Graf and reviewed by Joe Fischbach, HR Manager/City Clerk.