02-11-1981 Additions I - Laserfiche WebLink

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CITY 08 APLE 1380 FROST'AVENUE MAPLEWOOD. MINNESOTA 55109 OFFICE OF CITY MANAGER 770 -4525 PA V§91 March 2, 1981 Stan Turner, News Director KSTP - TV 3415 University Avenue St. Paul, MN 55114 Dear Mr. Turner: For approximately two years, there has been a running battle before the Metropolitan Council concerning the treatment of storm water which runs through St. Paul's combination storm and sanitary sewer system, but nothing has appeared on your news program. The Met Council by an 8 -7 vote on February 26th took action in a manner which would seriously affect the residents of the northern and eastern suburbs of St. Paul. The Council's action in effect was to direct the Metropolitan Waste Control Commission to change its method of allocating sewage charges by decreasing St. Paul's by $1.0 - 1.7 million a year and placing it on the suburbs. The Met Council's majority decision apparently was based on St. Paul's single minded approach that certain water came from the suburbs and the suburbs should pay for the cost of treatment. What this rationalization excludes are the following points among others: 1. St. Paul through poor development, and the construction of combina- tion systems has blocked the natural water courses so our storm water has no place else to go but into their system. For example at one time Phalen Creek carried away storm water but now it is no more as St. Paul has replaced it with its combination system. 2. If the Met Council action stands they have effectively removed an incentive for St. Paul to replace the combination system since the suburbs would be carrying a big part of the cost of treating the storm water. 3. It does not take into account the millions that the suburbs have spent in storm water ponds, storm sewers, and other development practices to control run off. The charges for this to their residents through assessments, taxes and higher home costs have been significant. Thus, in addition to these costs the residents of the suburbs are being asked to assume costs which result solely from actions by past officials of St. Paul.