01/22/1990 Council Minutes (2) - Laserfiche WebLink

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1 COUNCIL MINUTES JANUARY 22, 1990 minutes regarding the improvement public hearing be researched as well as other public meetings on this matter. In addition, Staff was asked to provide copies of the Joint Powers Agreement to the Council Members and other interested persons. In researching the minutes, there was no mention of any discussion on quarterly sewer and water user rates. Mayor Bisel referred to a letter addressed to the Blaine City Engineer and noted that the letter stated that Lino Lakes would borrow money to cover the cost of those persons who wished to connect to the Blaine improvement. Mayor Bisel explained that this action made the improvement a Lino Lakes project which was sublet to the City of Blaine. Council Member Bohjanen said that he had the same understanding. Council Member Neal referred to the Joint Powers Agreement, page 2, section 5A. He noted that the Agreement is worded as it should be and suggested that maybe the residents along Sunset Road were not aware of the terms of the City Charter. He suggested that someone explain the Charter to them and let them know that the Council does not have a choice in the matter of users quarterly rates. Mr. Schumacher explained that the intent of the Charter is to make each enterprise fund self supporting. If a resident receives a benefit, the resident pays for the benefit and General Fund money cannot be used to subsidize the system. Mr. Neal suggested that the residents along Sunset Road call their neighbors who are on the Charter Commission and ask them to explain the terms of the Charter. Ron Bennett, 6966 Sunset Road — Mr. Bennett explained that he had received information from Mrs. Anderson and noted that he had not been aware that there was such a thing as the Joint Powers Agreement. However, he explained that at the public meetings on this improvement, the citizens kept asking if there would be other charges. Nothing was said about being charged the Lino Lakes users rates rather than the Blaine user rates. He also noted that there was no discussion regarding a Joint Powers Agreement. Now three years later, suddenly there is a Joint Powers Agreement. Mayor Bisel explained that there could be no Joint Powers Agreement until the system was completed and all the terms were negotiated by the City Engineer and Staff. Mr. Bennett said, nevertheless Blaine has been billing the residents for three years and now Lino Lakes wants a piece of the cake. Mayor Bisel explained that Blaine was in the middle of changing administrative staff and this was all explained at the public hearing two weeks ago. Mr. Schumacher explained that a Joint Powers Agreement does not come at the beginning of an improvement project. The details and costs of the improvement have to be known then after further discussion, the Agreement is written. Mr. Bennett asked why it took three years to finalize the