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CITY OF FALCON HEIGHTS COUNCIL MINUTES June 9, 2004 Acting Mayor Laura Kuettel called the regular Council meeting to order and explained to the viewing audience that she was chairing this evening's meeting because Mayor Gehrz was on vacation. PRESENT: Council members Laura Kuettel, Robert Lamb, Peter Lindstrom and Richard Talbot Also present: City Administrator Heather Worthington and Deputy Clerk Mary Shea Kodluboy ABSENT: Mayor Sue Gehrz, with prior notice COMMUNITY FORUM: There was no commentary from the audience. PRESENTATIONS: John Zanmiller St. Paul Regional Water Services Board of Water Commissioners Mr. John Zanmiller said that he wanted to thank the City Council for reappointing him as this area's representative on the Board of Water Commissioners. In January, 2004, he was elected • as Vice President of the seven member Board and this was the first time in one hundred years that someone from outside Saint Paul was appointed to an officer position. The Board consists of three representatives from the St. Paul City Council--Pat Harris, Dave Thune and Debbie Montgomery; two Saint Paul residents-Matt Anfang and Gregory Kleindl; and two suburban representatives-Bob Cardinal/Maplewood and John Zanmiller/Falcon Heights. Steve Schneider was appointed General Manager in December, 2003, succeeding Bernie Bullert, who retired after 35 years with the utility. In 1992, the utility had 324 employees. In 2004, there are 248 employees. The utility is a publicly owned corporation operating as aself-supporting non-profit entity, financed solely by the sale of water and fees for other services. It receives no other outside financial support or tax subsidy. He gave a brief description of the rate structure and said that historically the utility has been able to keep its rates and increases low, i.e. for 2003, the increase was 2.5%. Their rates are 31% lower than Minneapolis, and in an overall study of comparable sized cities, the utility's water rates were 20`". The preliminary budget for 2005 is being prepared and any rate increases will be communicated to all of the member cities. The increases have always been very reasonable and understandable, falling within the 2%-3% range. Before the end of 2004, most of the utility's facilities will be located on one campus at the McCarron's water treatment plant site. A large percentage of the utility's water is drawn from the Mississippi River through a chain of lakes before reaching the treatment plant. Groundwater from four deep wells provides a small percentage of the utility's supply. The utility is striving to improve the water's taste and odor, particularly during the summer months.