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To: Lake Elmo City Council From: Wyn John Subject Vashington County Landfill No 1 Negotiations Date: September 10, 1995 cc Lake Elmo City Administrator Lake Elmo City Attorney Lake Elmo City Engineer Our original negotiations with Washington and Ramsey Counties, and our claim for $680,000 compensation was based on the understanding that the MPCA was firm in its declaration that no modification or extension of the buildings and associated land for maintenance would be permitted, and that following the agreement, all liabilities by the Counties for the site would cease. Subsequent discussions indicate that this is not exactly so. Modification of the buildings was meant to be extension of the buildings towards the landfill. Internal modifications such as erection of partition walls etc., would be acceptable. The intermittent encroachment of the landfill area for purposes of equipment access to the pole barn would also be permitted, as long as there was no interference with IVIPCA activities in capping the landfill. Unofficial discussions between Mary Hauser and Steve DeLapp indicate that "Washington County would aid Lake Elmo in the event that a long term health problem was still found to exist at the site." [This is my understanding of Steve's comment which will require more than a verbal commitment to be valid. W.M.J.] Mary Kueffner has been told by Jim Schugg that Washington County recorded the contract for deed so that the whole area purchased for $75,000 now belongs to Lake Elmo. In addition he felt that he could get agreement from the Counties to increase their offer of $150,000 to $213,000 by eliminating the arbitrary 50% split in the written down value of the maintenance buildings. So, the current scenario is as follows: Lake Elmo owns 110 acres of land, of which 63.5 acres is needed by the MPCA for their capping program. The remaining land will remain in Lake Elmo for use as a park (as originally intended) and for a City building location. Compensation for the 63.5 acres and the vacated fire station, totaling $213,000, will be provided by Washington and Ramsey Counties. If $13,000 are attributed to fire station improvements, then the compensation for the land fill becomes equivalent to $3,150 per acre. $680,000 for the 63.5 acres places the land value above residential acreage costs. I propose the following agreement and plan: 1. Lake Elmo retains the parkland, maintenance site and buildings. 2. 3 bays in the maintenance building are converted to 2 fire hall bays and one ambulance bay (paid for by Lakeview Hospital). 3. Cooking facilities and a cafeteria seating -area (plus offices if needed) are added to the maintenance building.