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HomeMy WebLinkAbout04/12/1975 Council MinutesAPRIL 12, 1975 A special Council Meeting of the Lino Lakes City Council was called to order at 9:50 A.M. on April 12, 1975 by Mayor BohJanen. Councilmen present: Zelinka, Jaworski and McLean. Councilman Marier was absent. Attorney Locher was also present. The Mayor said that this meeting had been called to gather ideas on the position paper that had been issued by this Council regarding the Metropolitan Council (MC) and to enlist the support of the other communities throughout the seven county metropolitan area. The Clerk read the list of phone calls and letters that had been re- ceived in the City Offices in response to the Position Paper. Senator John Milton asked if Mayor Bohjanen would summarize the difficulities that Lino lakes has been having with the MC dealing with sewers. Mr. Locher, the City's Attorney, gave a brief summary of the problems. Senator Milton asked if onsite sewer systems were considered for the Reshanau Lake Development (Jandric's development). He was told that it had been considered but withdrawn because of the possible contamination to that Lake. Mayor Al Hall of Burnsville requested the floor as he had to leave shortly to attend another meeting. He briefly out lined the problems that Burnsville is having with the MC and informed the audience that there would be a meeting this afternoon in Inver Grove Heights on the Dakota County position regarding the MC. He invited all. to attend this meeting. Mayor Hall said that in Burnsville there are 10,000 people and the Cities of Egan and Apple Valley have similar populations but they only have two bridges over the Minnesota River to handle all the traffic that is generated from the three cities. The Cedar Avenue Bridge and the 35 W Bridge. In 1965 the State Highway Dept, came to upgrade Highway 13 to Mendota but the MC said that no freeway can be more than 2 miles apart. As a result Highway 12 is still a two lane highway and she Cedar Bridge starts and goes nowhere. Mr Hall said that the Burnsville -Egan -Bloomington Sewage Phan had a predicted total cost for any one year of $120,000 when the three cities had this program. When the Metro Sewer Board took over, the first year the costs went to $330,00. Why? The Metro Sewer Board insisted on putting in a 20 year capacity immediately instead of building it grad- ually as the three Cities involved had planned to do and could afford to do it. They also said the pipe that ran through a swamp for drainage only had to be covered at a cost of f million dollars. -2- APRIL 12, 1975 Mr. Jaworski asked Mr. Hail if they weren't pumping sewage from this plant on a 24 hour a day basis. , said that he had heard that there are two semi's hauling continous►y to the South Saint Paul Plant. Mr. Hall said that he did not know if that was true or not, he has not been informed if there is hauling being done. Mr. Jaworski said they were hauling something in those tankers and it is not gasoline. Mr. Hall said he questions the large amount of monies that the MC is spending,its at a outrageous point. He said that in 1973 the mil rate was 29 mils but they are proposing a mil rate of 36 mils for 1978, for sewer alone. He said that they could have done it stages and not raised taxes to the point that the MC would get such a huge increase. He questioned the MC right to raise their Levy so high while Cities are limited to 5% per year. Mayor Hall said that the Dakota County Leaders are preparing a + page ad to reach the people and tell them what they think the MC is doing to the communities and the residents and asked that Lino Lakes Join them In this and the cost of such an ad. Mr. McLean said that the Anoka County Commissioners read our position paper at a recent meeting, and made it part of the minutes and generally agreed with the position of Lino Lakes on the MC. Mayro Richard J. Schneider of the City of Andover spoke next. He said that while Andover does not have the problems that Lino Lakes and Burns- ville have they agree with our position on the MC and he said that he had written a letter to their State Senator, Hubert Humphrey, of the problems they are having with the MC and how the residents of Andover feel. He asked Senator Milton is they were really listening to the people - down at the State House? Will something be done? Senator Milton said we are here to listen and we are listening. That is why I am here today. Mr. Schneider asked about this bill that has been titled 4/1/75 for lack of a name or number. What is this all about? Why was no name given to it? And why was it sent out anonymously? Mr. Jaworski asked if the Development Framework Guide had been approved by the Legislature? Senator Milton said the Development Framework Guide was not a piece of legislation, it is merely a guide for the MC to work within and as such does not require the approval of the Legislature. -3- APRIL 12, 1975 Mr. Jaworski said he did not get that impression from reading the newspaper accounts of the Guide and he did not feel that the rest of the people got that impression. Most in the audience agreed with Mr. Jaworski. Senator Milton said that the bill that is referred to as 4/1/75 was a trial batton. He said that rather than give it a number or name it was discussed incommittee to see it could pass and to get the feel of the people on this bill. Senator..Mitton said that this method of trying something has since be abandoned and that he felt too much attentton --and• adverse a -WrI ioet.--- had been given to the 4/1/75 bill. He felt it was a good bill. Mr. Zeiinka related his experience in trying to get a copy of this 4/1/75 bill at the State House on Friday. He said that it took him three hours to get a copy and only after considerable run-around was he able to get it. There was no record in the index for either the. House or the Senate. He questioned this fact. Finally one clerk told him, in an off -the -record -type of manner, that if he went to Room 303 he could get a copy of what he was looking for. Senator Milton told Mr. Zeiinka that he probably could have saved him- self a lot of time had he come into his office. The question of the School Districts Mil rate was brought up. Why is it so high when the enrollments were declining? Mr. Bohjanen said that the protected growth of Lino Lakes according to the MC is approximately 100 people by 1980. Mrs. Tufts asked if the industry in the area and if the taxes could not help fill some of the void? Why weren't the cities doing more to attarct industry to this area? The Council explained that you cannot attract industry without sewers in the area. The problem of the School Distracts and taxing was discussed. Mr. Schneider from Andoverrsaixd• that in their area new schools were scheduled -- to be built but the enrollment was on the decline. But we have to help pick up the tab because of the MC directions. That is just short sited on the part of the MC. Why not make use of the schools that are already built instead of building new ones, because of some line indicating that an area is in another School District when across the street there is a school not being used? The MC is getting so much power that they are no longer an advisory body for the Legislature they are beccmtng a eontr^'iinc may. And the ones -4- APRIL 12, 1975 who dobenefit are the Cities that have the money to send lobbists to the MC. Mr. Jaworski said a letter had been received from James Oberstar stating that Federal Legislation is pending in the amount of 5 billion dollars to be used for the installation of sewer and water. But we in the metropolitan aree cannot apply for it, because of the ~MC -controls. Mr. Schneider said the same holds true for young communities so far as getting grants for their school districts they cannot because of the MC influence and the fact that they: do not have the funds available to pursue these grants. Senator Milton said some School Districts have a full time "grant man" who does nothing but apply and procure grants for that school district. In my Judgement the MC is really not doing what they should be doing. 1 feet they should spend mre time with local communities and Local people gathering input from these areas rather than relying strictly on the input from their staff members. Mr. Zetinka said he feets that the MC. must spend more time listening to the local communities and considering their problems and acting on them rather than only the problems of the core cities. Real communication is needed between the MC and the local communities, not just token communi- cation. The area of an elected MC came up for discussion and it was the testing of the Lino Lakes Council and many other officials that were_present from other cities that an elected MC would not solve anything rather it would merely give the MC more p6wer than they already have. At least with an appointed MC you are free to express your Os -satisfaction to your elected representatives and perhaps your feelings wilt be listened to. With an elected MC all you can do is to try and vote for the best candidate. Mrs. Tufts asked what type of background do! these MC people have? How are they appointed, on what basis? Senator Milton said they come from all different backgrounds and Levels of education. There are professors, former legislators, a housewife, :etc. Mr. McLean asked if it were not true that most of the MC members were from the same social backgrounds and therefore -had a similar approach to most problems affecting the metro area - what is good for the core cities is best for all? It seems that they, MC, are attempPIng to manage the ,people by taking away some freedom for making Individual decisions on where to livar, how to Ilve, etc. .5. APRIL 12, 1975 Senator Milton said that he feels the MC staff is too elite. They do not see enough of the people. They tend to rely strictly on their own judgements without consulting others. But 1 feel that the MC members are very diversified group of people and that they attempt to do what is best of the entire metro area not just the core cities. Mr. Jaworski said that the MC members do not rely on the local people. Take Waconia for an expample. About 9 years ago they, the City of Waconia, had a plan to build a treatment plant to handle their sewer needs and were ready to build It. Then the MC appeared on the scene and it has taken 9 years and "umpteen" studies for the MC to say, go ahead and build your own treatment plant. Why does everything have to be studied and re -studied and then 9 years later Burandt says yes you need a treatment plant. For the cost of the studies alone several treat- ment plants could have probably been built and in use for several years. Their was a discussion on the Fiscal Disparities Act and how it will affect the smaller communities. The Council felt that the act was not going to help smaller cities and should be repealed. Senator Milton said that a city like Lino Lakes would be the-overaTT- winner with fiscal disparities act. Mr. Jaworski said he did not feel that fiscal disparities was the answer to the problems. Senator Milton said the fiscal disparities act would give more money to the smaller cities because of the surplus in the State. Mayor Sohjanen asked the other cities present if they would join in a joint resolution to stop the further accumulation of power by the Metropolitan Council and to limit them to being merely an advisory board for the Legislature as was the original intent of the Mett'opoiitan Council. Mayor Schneider indicated that the City of Andover would probably be willing to support such a resolution. The representative from Ham Lake said he felt that Ham Lake would also be wilting to support the resolution. Mayor Bohjanen thanked everyone for taking time out of their day to attend this meeting and said he hoped that this was the start of getting the Metropolitan Council to really listen to the people. Mr..iaworski moved to adjourn at 11:55 A.M. Motion was seconded by Mr. Zelinka. Aye.