Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutMETRO UPDATEm H o � N LLi M N m a) cn Q C o ro N VN Y (o (n O L U a C >, � a) V U) c-) C C Ln cz C p N ° .0 c L I (o co - c 2° LO � o U o U c O (n c m a) O o m F .S c m -a co O N •� a) O N j o) c c 1:5 O p m�i a ai '� mc c�m m�>° � ai � Q-- O � co C: (1) N O acua) toro _co cr O c �°moL°>° 0a)m o ��o 0)� T > 2. n 0) cc 0)>, c ca) o c o cc U) .2oy_�o D ) N o � i� Q m -F at v c c>o Op a) c (n TO .0 O_ C 'O O O U O U io - O C a) co ccoo o� a-0 C: - � > cco-1, Q .p a) °) o 3 °) .0 5 c) a10 ro E o> oro N a O O a) roma ° 0 c o w T a)a) I Maw o m .0 4) N N O ca .0 LL .-C-.. Q- N _ w Q 0 .E in E H C N O i C C (� ai Q - C N - c i 7 N rn m °o8 0 ro c ca D_ nT c y U N (n°) a)U) Cl) h a) (n M N V,cn CDC Q) �� o o > G1 U Q N cts cn O U) 4 N Y Q 'p N .O n C cC y yi (o CL 7Z5 M O O > Q U (UU O C _ a aJ (o O C +' CZ O E -6) y a wO+ *' G O 4 N .� O. E N =cm O O (o >, OI a L O1 O C O o M O cC 0- Q— U U U CD 7 0 U > LL MLLO. Ufn H o � N LLi M N m a) cn Q C o ro N VN Y (o (n O L U a C >, � a) V U) c-) C C Ln cz C p N ° .0 c L I (o co - c 2° LO � o U o U c O (n c m a) O o m F .S c m -a co O N •� a) O N j o) c c 1:5 O p m�i a ai '� mc c�m m�>° � ai � Q-- O � co C: (1) N O acua) toro _co cr O c �°moL°>° 0a)m o ��o 0)� T > 2. n 0) cc 0)>, c ca) o c o cc U) .2oy_�o D ) N o � i� Q m -F at v c c>o Op a) c (n TO .0 O_ C 'O O O U O U io - O C a) co ccoo o� a-0 C: - � > cco-1, Q .p a) °) o 3 °) .0 5 c) a10 ro E o> oro N a O O a) roma ° 0 c o w T a)a) I Maw o m .0 4) N N O ca .0 LL .-C-.. Q- N _ w Q 0 .E in E H C N O i C C (� � i�a�� � .. � � , L u� o� � -° � o� �+ .�i � � , � N a-oi c�i .c 'm �a� � � r y- �._ c ai / . �� �y �i � , � � m � c � N rn . -� (� p "� U c c� ,` � �. �4�1 , � � � �V � p � � Y � � . -� � � � Q °a �"'�6 . � ��i a � �, � � � � � � y i � U � � a°�i o in a� o ro o � a Q ����a� }! � , ; � m .n m a� c � cn � a� � a. Q m � o � ..r;y �e��, � �� �`- � �'`` � o co � � � ' � '� � r >," Q p . �t O c0 O U � 'C � Q p Y c� m� � ,. � (� �oN `° a°� �' � o � °- � `° > � � � � � E $,„ ��� .� � a u� �� m � o o > � � � � v�i � o .� � m � �' `� �d� Q � + ,1� , � � � V�r L Q o ,�. � E � � � � ro u, � a Q�� a�i � �� .N � � Y � o `. ,`�' � � �",3` �;, � �-p � � O + O p- � (d � � }, .� U N t� �_ `� T/ �N� � � � � C � U � � p � � — � � U a Q "' � O � : � ' �i� , �i" ,F����. a � �� � � �� � aXi .�ro .S o � � � � � � U a`�i � .� ia a� rs.���' i�� ra �� � � �y �� �� �. ti,_� V�/ � c E °�g a� � '� o �a �n � a� rn � �n � � � .� �c �a � (n Q � � � � E �ncU � � _ o � � � oaca ` :� ww �,u... °��. f:� � � . — � � � � . �, � � a � � � 3 � � �� � � � � .c aro � •w tenm' ' � � ` t. L � �4 � ° � °� � c �,„- � � i � � `� °� axi � � �,� ,,,, �- ;� � � c .- c� � °' 3 ° '� ° °' � � E N °' o °- i . ee i� �n � � � o o � a� � � � ■r � ��� �� � ^ � � � � o � � �u� a° � � � � � �, ro Q� Q��n .■ �, t �� a� vi o �a � a� ��, � � / I..v O > E � � � '� � °'Y .° m �n � o �c��n � � � � .� �� I� ��1�, , +'��� ��,� ��. O E > "O � N i � 'p Q-L � 4 ,YI J ,�' - � J O � � tNV F– Q. .� � «-` .� CO � L d > � Q � 1�_F" : � ., �.� � v+ � t��! Ylr �_ ��{�; 0 � a�'i � .S a a� � o- ,' �� � ''`� i� "' %�� •�!� L vi ui c � � N cn c�a � in � ��/�l i , �..r� � a� c �� �' ca -� � .� � i � � a � ru; �Il�� � � °' Oa � �, � p °' .�n � � ''-°'aoc° � `�� , s. � �� � � � a � ����� 1 � � °' °' �W " ° � � � o o � °' _ � 3 �a�t ��. � . � - � �c� � =_U cn � � � � cn � � � vi � � Q. O � �_ .� � O.. � J N � � >, Q� � � Q ��� �'�, ��� i.-3te�i ■� Q-U '� � O � (V �' N E � � � i � � �� � y� � � m ia .S a Q � °>' -o � 3 � � � � � � ' =`,�_ � � � � a� � o cn �;., c � a� � c in a� a c �k M e � � � � � V � � � � � � � ��'� � � � � � ����4 w���C, > N >N N O � � � � � w T ig �/� � > � � O > � d .Q U Q � U � � � � .� � � ..x-�e`' :,,�,� , � ;,,� �� � !�� V J O . �' ` '.� N � O (� � � � �I ��� � . � �� � � �s N � (� � � � p �: �"4�d ■ ■� . � ,��c, ��� `,�� �� Q�0 L �D C � 0 C K-.� ' U y �' � . x ` -p � a� O — � .s'��"�' a�" I� t � ' � -� � �- � O N � � N ...�,.a . . � • � � , f ,� ,q�� ;J � � � _. � � �� /� � " N (� � L N �3 Y C L....h:..l���:. * . ,.cs �i,�. � i..� � - ' '� � � Q) � Q' �� � � � I � Q � � � � � � � c ��� c V � ¢ �gg � _ � � o � � � � - N a � E a E � 3 �,H�._� � . !� ����il�i t' tri'1 3 r � � v � � ° ui � . — a> vi c ro � ° m c ° � � o � � � M ._ � � o o � � c� cn _ _ �'? v�i � vC a� `� � � ia o �3 � ym a� a � a� a� � i a� . �� � � � mH � `� 3 �� X c� `° � � �° ` � � � � ' � C � � o � � o � � o � nc ,� a� ro c °-� °' � o' " aci H � c a�i o a� c�a � o � �c � ._ in � u� x N � � � o U � � — d o � a� � i ( a� � ._c� , a� (� � N N .Q � = C p N N � cd �n � -�� �r 7 i � N O � -.'�� C cd � � Q Q .0 c C � 'Y � V � � � N .-� � � _ � � � Q � � i C T (A � .� �6 T (LS ._ � _O N C (d � Q p � i L � � } � vr � �� v�i � m � •- � � � `� Q °� � � � � ( � � ro Y � � � o � °' a °_ o _ � �, Q � -6 0 � ° E ° � � � � �� � � o u� � U � oaa� � � � cDa �jc � � r � mo � Einca� � � o � � .�n c� � � -o O c o I- o � i m ca . � � � o � �sQ � a�i o cU � � � � a � c as � `� �' o � � � ._� c�' m '' o � � � � o � o >; � � o :c c a�i � � o ._r� cu > c � � � N Q �'L' � U W (6 � N � U � j _O � H ;� 6� �- N � � � i0 U i � � � � � • `° � � o � c � c�a � E � � u� � � � � C7 � �° ro °o —o c a� a a ,, � a� .� o � o .+'� � o � p a� � �+ a� � � � i °� N ._ o � � Y o;n E � o`'_ � � � � � � � o � i � a�i a� � � m � E � � � a ��.' �� U � o'n ai c � > � � > . � U i i � N Z > o � � .m y' � a� a _ o C� _ s c � o � 'cv N � � � I- � '-g � o� a� °'iu o � o � o "a � � � � '� � � v cva ��n >,o c � .c � a �' � a� c� _ � Q E c � p E � � �o Q r � >, m Q c� '�n .� a�a �� �n o o i V o'w ca m � O � <° � m � � � � ��C , � ia - c >, o � a.� � � `o `° c�a ° cn �- � � ia 'o -o a� � =c%) � Y °� E c > � � 3 Z � o o� m ro � x � � � � � � a ,n -6 0 � � , c o � W T ._ � � �in � o m � a o— � � � N � � � C 6-O '� � � Q-a�-� N ,O > (� �y N �' � �(n ��� C J y—� V -N � �O � ; ,_ � • . .- O � N ¢ �. m = U v a tq � � � t�- c�a enW c�aa�io � o °� � � i � a� � i = ia �r >. °1 � E = t�inci � � � `m ' cn .� � N °� �' � a� o E c� �'_' ° U � � ro � o �� � ;? Y Yv, � �' Q � �� � E ro �- � � � a� o� � � c a m o "� � c � °_F- E a � � o � � a� O� a ui U o c `a � o � c — :� w ca cn a' � �,�3 � �a � a� �n � Q. a� ro a� cC � c �' �o¢° „ +� � o ., a N O' O -O G O � Y � C C .� p Y � p p '� OD O � 0� � �U O � �z � y Q d U .l '� O<fl � in c� � � a O � c -� i� � � a�N ro � C) N � c � OS'�= �o � � � � N � � co .� � �° v � axi 3 � � o mm o � �' .� � ro , � � oUin ° a� wt7°' d3 � a a ��� � i (� i Wastewater charge up 3.5%, SAC stays flat The overall municipal wastewater charge to the 109 communities served by the Metropolitan Council's regional wastewater collection and treatment system will go up 3.5% in 2019. The sewer availability charge, paid by properties hooking up to the system for the first time or expanding their demand on the system, will remain the same for the fifth year in a row. The Council approved the 2019 wastewater rates and charges in July, providing communities adequate time to set their 2019 budgets. The regional wastewater system is funded by user fees; no tax dollars are involved. The municipal wastewater charge is a wholesale charge to each community, based on that community's metered share of the overall flow into the regional system. Communities, in turn, calculate their local costs and charge their residents accordingly. Data from the National Association of Clean Water Agencies show that residents in the Twin Cities metro region pay between 35% and 40% less for their wastewater services than residents of other metro areas with similarly -sized regional systems. For the Council's industrial customers, the industrial strength charge and industrial discharge permit fee will go up 3.4% and 3.5%, respectively. 1\ Council expands small business opportunities The Metropolitan Council will soon be doing more business with small companies owned by people with disabilities, women, veterans and minorities. The Council voted in August to expand the Metropolitan Council Underutilized Business (MCUB) program, which will add almost 1,000 small businesses to the pool of companies that can bid for contracts. Currently, the Council works with over 1,800 disadvantaged and underutilized businesses. By expanding its criteria to include other certifications recognized by the State and other regional governments, the Council will increase the number of businesses it works with to 2,800. The vote also creates a "sheltered market," which will allow the businesses to compete exclusively with one another for contracts for goods and services ranging from office supplies to technical work like architecture and engineering. Those contracts range in size from $5,000 to $100,000. Businesses in the MCUB program will receive training on how to do business with the government and bid effectively. They are then allowed to compete in the sheltered market for contracts. Businesses are graduated from the program after they have received three contracts or $200,000 worth of business, whichever comes first. The region's changing demographics are evidence of the need to reach out to a more diverse group of vendors, said Council Chair Alene Tchourumoff. Today, 26 percent of the region's population is people of color; by 2040, that number will be 40 percent. "The companies we do business with should be representative of the people in our region," said Tchourumoff. Let's make our regional parks even better Hiking across scenic prairies, enjoying a swim on a hot summer day, cycling on an urban trail — these are just some of the many reasons our regional park system saw more Alene Tchourumoff than 58 million FROM THE CHAIR visits in 2017. That's a new record — and it's twice the number of annual visits to Yellowstone, Yosemite, and the Grand Canyon combined. The Minnesota Legislature charged the Metropolitan Council with acquiring land for regional parks and funding their development more than 50 years ago. Today, we continue to work closely with the cities, counties and individual park boards who own and operate those parks. Lebanon Hills Regional Park in Dakota County and Silverwood Park in St. Anthony are just two examples of the special places that draw people from across the metro and the state. Each park is unique, offering a different look at the beauty, ecological diversity and cultural heritage of the Twin Cities region. Regional parks preserve natural resources and provide recreational and educational opportunities to our residents. They support our quality of life! I believe we can do even better as we move forward. Every four years the Council updates the region's parks policy plan. Right now, we are taking input on the next update, and we will hold a public hearing on the draft update on September 17. The 2040 Regional Parks Policy Plan includes policies and strategies for maintaining and enhancing our parks and a system plan to guide decision- making. It also includes a five-year capital improvement program. The feedback from our partner agencies and the people who visit and use our parks is an important part of the process as we move forward. Visit metrocouncil.org to learn more about the parks plan update or to comment. We hope to hear from you soon. ::.................................................... Comment on the parks plan update In July, the Council approved a draft update of the 2040 Regional Parks Policy Plan. Residents of the seven -county metro area are invited to give feedback on the plan. The Council will host a public hearing on Monday, Sept. 17, at 4 p.m., in the Council Chambers at 390 Robert Street N., downtown Saint Paul. Public comment will be accepted through Thursday, Sept. 27 at 5 p.m. via mail, email (public.info@metc.state.mn.us) or by phone at 651 -602-1500. ...................................................I Metro Plant may add solids processing capacity In October, the Council is scheduled to consider approval of a facility plan to add a fourth wastewater solids incinerator at the Metropolitan Wastewater Treatment Plant on the Mississippi River in Saint Paul. Currently, three incinerators process solids removed from wastewater at the region's largest treatment plant. But the facility needs more solids processing capacity, and adding an incinerator is the most cost-effective and sustainable alternative to meet the region's wastewater treatment needs. It will have the lowest community impact and will improve the reliability of the regional wastewater treatment system. The incinerators all include equipment to recover energy to help heat and power the plant and to control air pollution. The fourth incinerator would cost about half of what other solids processing alternatives cost to construct, build and maintain. It would also recover enough energy to save $2.5 million per year in electricity and natural gas purchases that otherwise would be passed on to customers in the form of wastewater fees. The new incinerator would continue the plant's exceptional track record on environmental compliance by restricting air emissions to levels that are well below federal permit standards set in 2010 for new incinerators. The Metro Plant treats 180 million gallons of wastewater every day for 66 communities and processes 850 wet tons of solids every day for 73 communities. Throughout this spring and summer, Council staff have met with environmental and neighborhood organizations, local and county government officials, and regulatory agencies seeking feedback on the proposed project. The Council held a public hearing on the project in late August. Construction on the fourth incinerator would occur from 2021 to 2024, with renewal on the existing incinerators from 2025 to 2027. The total cost of the project is estimated at $180 million. Serve Regional Population Growth 500,000 new residents in the Metro Plant service area in the Twin Cities by 2050. The fourth incinerator will ensure processing capacity during maintenance and serve the growing population. New fareboxes expected to speed up boardings Metro Transit is testing new fareboxes that should help speed up boardings, marking the first advancement in farebox technology in 25 years. The new fareboxes allow customers to swipe transfer tickets like a credit card, instead of feeding them into a machine. While preventative maintenance has helped keep the older fareboxes running, jams can cause delays or even force a bus to be taken out of service. The new fareboxes can also automatically scan and validate bills and feature a larger and brighter screen. Installation across the fleet will occur as funding allows. The new machines will be included on all new buses. Tickets will be accepted by both farebox types during the transition. A quarter of all bus customers purchase fares with cash. i Preserve Existing ` Wastewater Treatment �t Plant Infrastructure 11 Planned renewal projects will require extended downtime of the existing incinerators. Serve Regional Population Growth 500,000 new residents in the Metro Plant service area in the Twin Cities by 2050. The fourth incinerator will ensure processing capacity during maintenance and serve the growing population. New fareboxes expected to speed up boardings Metro Transit is testing new fareboxes that should help speed up boardings, marking the first advancement in farebox technology in 25 years. The new fareboxes allow customers to swipe transfer tickets like a credit card, instead of feeding them into a machine. While preventative maintenance has helped keep the older fareboxes running, jams can cause delays or even force a bus to be taken out of service. The new fareboxes can also automatically scan and validate bills and feature a larger and brighter screen. Installation across the fleet will occur as funding allows. The new machines will be included on all new buses. Tickets will be accepted by both farebox types during the transition. A quarter of all bus customers purchase fares with cash. i