CC PACKET 09231997 - Laserfiche WebLink

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City Council Regular Meeting Minutes September 9, 1997 Page 8 • 1 Mayor Ranallo stated that if it were up to him personally, he would take care of it but he 2 does not have that authority. He and the Council have a fiduciary responsibility. He stated 3 the City has to look at what they can do legally. 4 Mr. Jacobs questioned the point of benefitting the community as a whole. He noted that the 5 exterior of his house is in need of painting but because his basement if full of sewage he is 6 unable to deal with that repair. This affects the whole community. He stated that fixing the 7 water problem would benefit the entire community. He stated that he did not see any reason 8 to continue on the Task Force if the end result would be to do nothing and all the time and 9 effort would be in vain. 10 Mayor Ranallo stated the Task Force is working to find a solution on how to take care of the 11 water problem. He noted he had suggested the City purchase the two acre Town and Country 12 site to use as a holding pond but the engineers have stated that would not solve the problem. 13 Mr. Jacobs stated he had a hard time seeing the projects and the amounts budgeted for 14 development in the City and the continual ignorance of this situation. 15 Mayor Ranallo stated the City did not know the solution and that is why they have put 16 together the Task Force. He stated his response did not come from his heart but from his �7 fiduciary responsibility in the City. 18 Wagner stated it is not that the City does not want to provide funds. The City has checked 19 with a number of attorneys and also other cities to determine what they can do. The City 20 cannot spend their own funds. Other cities are spending donated funds but the City of St. 21 Anthony has not received any donated funds. 22 Mayor Ranallo again stated he had thought the funds from the Sewer Fund could be used but 23 it has been determined that they can't. 24 Morrison noted the Sewer Fund could be used to purchase a home if the land was to be used 25 as a holding pond, if it would serve a public purpose. 26 Mr. Jacobs stated he cannot live in his house anymore. He has thought of abandoning the 27 home. He stated the City Councilmembers are voted into office and they need to support the 28 issue and determine a solution. 29 Marks noted a major study of the flooding problem was conducted seven years ago and no 30 obvious answers were determined. He hoped the people on the Task Force would act as 31 champions for ideas and find ideas that will fit within the constraints that the City and 32 residents have to work within. Mr. Jacobs asked, as a Task Force Member, for guidelines to work-within to be able to make 4 progress. He stated these residents have a right to clean water and a sewer system that works 35 just like everyone else.