02-12-2008 CCM - Laserfiche WebLink

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City of Lake Elmo City Council Meeting Minutes 12 February 2008 Lake Elmo Fire Hall Mayor Johnston called the meeting to order 8:40 PM. Consider a request to engage a law firm to represent the city of Lake Elmo along with Woodbury and Oakdale at the capitol for gaining the PCA bonding bill request for $15 million for remediation of the PFC contamination in the Washington County Landfill. Administrator Hoyt reported that the city of Woodbury had contacted the cities of Lake Elmo and Oakdale to ask if the cities would be interested in contracting with a legal representative to lobby for funds for the Washington County Landfill remediation at the legislative session, which opened on February 12, 2008. She reported that Oakdale had agreed to join in sharing the costs with Woodbury. Mayor Johnston reported that he had attended a legislative hearing on the PCA request for funding in the bonding bill and determined that the legislative committee did not seem receptive to the request. He suggested two alternatives to consider: 1) pay a proportion of the cost of fees – about 6% if population of the four cities (Woodbury, Oakdale, Cottage Grove and Lake Elmo); or 2) decline financially supporting the efforts of Woodbury and Oakdale, but to give city support in any way it could to encourage the funds for the Washington County Landfill Clean up. Mayor Johnston supported the latter proposal although he did not support the dig and line as the preferred option and preferred a permanent solution. He also noted the importance of making a statement immediately given the dynamics of funding discussions at the legislature. Councilmember Johnson concurred with supporting the second option, supporting the bonding request without funds, because she was concerned that the contamination would continue and that other contaminants could result from delay. She reiterated that she preferred a permanent solution. Councilmember DeLapp did not support the $15 million funding request by PCA because it was designed to implement the dig and line option, which he considered a short term option and a very inadequate solution. He stated that supporting this bonding request in 2008 would inevitably result in implementing this inadequate solution. He only supported a permanent solution to the Washington County Landfill contamination which he believed would be the dig and truck option and, joined, by a plasma torch, if possible. Councilmember DeLapp said he is concerned about contamination but believes that the evidence suggests waiting five years is not harmful. He did not believe action was necessary at this meeting. Citizen Jim Blackford, 9765 45th Street North, presented some historic information on the landfill and PCA plans in the past that were not followed. He described some alternative mechanisms to get a permanent solution to the landfill site. He also said that he understood the political realities of getting funding for any solution. Mayor Johnston moved to approve the support of the $15 million dollars in the Governor’s bonding bill for the MPCA remediation of contamination at the Washington County Landfill. Councilmember Johnson seconded the motion. The motion passed with Mayor Johnston and Councilmember Johnson voting in favor of the motion and Council member DeLapp voting against. Mayor Johnston adjourned the meeting at 9:20 PM.