06-06-2019 Special Meeting Minutes

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MINUTES CITY COUNCIL SPECIAL MEETING DUNE 6, 2019 efforts to reduce the water levels. As it relates to reducing water levels, I support pumping water from Twin Lake with a few conditions: 1) The City understands the downstream risks associated with this pumping. 2) There is a risk management plan a. that illustrates how the pumping will be managed, b. what monitoring will be established to protect downstream properties and c. what actions are available to prevent downstream properties from damage as a result of this pumping effort. 3) The not -to -exceed costs the City will incur to setup a pumping station and the estimated on -going costs to manage the pumping activity are acceptable to my peers on the Council. I know, from an array of conversations over the past few days, that my conditional considerations are well understood and actively being planned. Tom Fischer The City Administrator stated that the downstream risks were addressed well by the Watershed District last night. He reported that those areas are important to protect and will need to be carefully monitored. He stated that how the pumping is managed will be determined, along with actions to protect downstream areas. He explained that the pumping costs are an unknown, but they are already in excess of $30,000 just on set-up. He estimated that pumping costs will be a minimum of $5,000, potentially $10,000 or more per month, and pumping would likely need to occur for months in order to make a difference. This will be a significant expense that could easily reach two to three percent of the city's general budget, which may result in the need for a higher levy increase for next year. The City Administrator reviewed current funding sources and options. Montour asked what steps have been taken to research outside resources for funding. The City Administrator stated he has reached out to state elected representatives, he noted that staff will look in to FEMA disaster assistance, but it is unlikely that this will reach the threshold to qualify for that, and staff will ask the DNR if they have-fiinding sources. Montour stated that there are a lot of different parties involved in this. He clarified that the road and pumping location will be on Frank Frattalone's property and that Frank was supportive of this. He asked if the pipe would have to cross the railroad tracks. The Public Works Director explained that the way the lake is overflowing underneath, essentially there is another Twin Lake on the south side of the tracks, so as that area on the south side is drawn down, the whole lake will be drawn down and equalize itself