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CITY COUNCIL <br />WORK SESSION STAFF REPORT <br />ITEM NO. 6 <br />STAFF ORIGINATOR: Michael Grochala, Community Development Director <br />WORK SESSION DATE: August 4, 2025 <br />TOPIC: Vadnais Lakes Area Water Management Organization (VLAWMO) <br />JPA Amendments/Update <br />BACKGROUND <br />Since the early 1980's, communities in the metropolitan area have been required to manage <br />surface water in accordance with the Metropolitan Water Management Program set out in <br />Minnesota Statutes, sections 10313.201 through 10313.253 ("Act"). To address that requirement, <br />the City, together with the other communities in the watershed, adopted a joint powers <br />agreement in 1983 to form the Vadnais Lake Area Water Management Organization <br />("VLAWMO"). VLAWMO is a joint powers watershed management organization under <br />Minnesota Statutes, section 10313.211 and is authorized to carry out the duties under the Act. <br />Since its formation, VLAWMO has developed, adopted, and updated its watershed <br />management plan as required by the Act. It has also undertaken, on its own and in cooperation <br />with the member communities, water quality and restoration projects throughout the <br />watershed. VLAWMO is in the process of updating its watershed management plan and is <br />working to update the JPA at the same time. <br />The JPA has been amended and renewed since its original adoption, with the current JPA set to <br />expire on December 31, 2026. The JPA was last updated and readopted in 2016. The updated <br />JPA is the result of a detailed review and work to incorporate VLAWMO's long-standing <br />practices and procedures. This update also includes recognizing the storm sewer utility fee as <br />VLAWMO's primary source of funding. VLAWMO was originally funded through a cost sharing <br />assessment to each community. <br />As with any joint powers agreement, all member communities need to adopt the same <br />agreement language. VLAWMO staff worked with member community staff to seek review and <br />comments. Staff reviewed the City's comments at the June 2, 2025, work session. Those <br />comments were then incorporated into the JPA. <br />Page 583 of 617 <br />