06-02-25 - Council Work Session Agenda

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CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION STAFF REPORT ITEM NO. 9 STAFF ORIGINATOR: Michael Grochala, Community Development Director WORK SESSION DATE: June 2, 2025 TOPIC: Vadnais Lakes Area Water Management Organization (VLAWMO) JPA Amendments/Update BACKGROUND The Vadnais Lakes Area Water Management Organization (VLAWMO), which covers a portion of southeastern Lino Lakes is working to update its Joint Powers Agreement in conjunction with its work to develop the 2027 — 2036 Watershed Plan. VLAWMO is a water management organization that is responsible for an approximately 24.2 square mile watershed that encompasses the City of North Oaks, and portions of the Cities of White Bear Lake, Gem Lake, Vadnais Heights, Lino Lakes, and White Bear Township. VLAWMO operates under a Joint Powers Agreement (JPA) between the communities. The current agreement will expire next year and VLAWMO staff and attorney have undertaken a review to update the document and better align it with operations. City staff and City attorney, Jay Squires, have completed an initial review of the proposal and provided a few comments back to VLAWMO staff. These include the following for consideration: • Section 3.14: The City recommends that capital improvement projects continue to require a super majority (2/3) vote of all Directors. • Section 6.3 Member Assessments: Please clarify the timing for adoption of proposed member assessments. The City begins its annual budget process in late May and adopts the preliminary level in September. The City will need time to incorporate into its budget if proposed. • Section 7.1 Duration of Agreement: The City recommends staying with the current 10- year duration. With the modernization of the agreement future update efforts should be minor. A review and discussion every 10 years would ensure that the document stays up to date and current with changing staff/councils. • 6.1(e) SSU Charge Certification: Should the reference to County Auditor reference the respective County Auditor since we have both Anoka and Ramsey Counties involved in this process?